Several flights were disrupted, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded as Kenyan aviation workers launched a strike protesting plans for Adani Airport Holdings Ltd. to take over operations of the nation’s largest airport, Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), for 30 years.
On Wednesday, crowds of passengers gathered at terminal buildings at JKIA, located in the capital city of Nairobi, awaiting updates on their flights. Kenya Airways Plc, the nation’s flagship carrier, alerted customers about potential cancellations, while its low-cost subsidiary, Jambojet, suspended all flights in and out of the airport until further notice.
The strike is the latest challenge faced by President William Ruto’s administration, which has also been dealing with a series of public protests in June and July against the government’s wide-ranging tax measures. Those demonstrations resulted in the deaths of more than 60 people.
“The growing public resistance to government policies highlights the administration’s struggle to gain widespread support for its policies and reform agenda,” said BancTrust & Co. in an emailed note.
The strike was sparked by a proposal for Adani Airport Holdings Ltd., a company owned by Indian billionaire Gautam Adani, to take over the operations of JKIA for 30 years under a “build-operate-transfer” (BOT) arrangement. The deal would involve Adani’s company upgrading Kenya’s busiest airport, constructing a second runway, and building a new passenger terminal.
Earlier this week, a Kenyan court issued an order suspending the implementation of the deal until it rules on the matter. However, the Kenya Aviation Workers Union, representing about 16,000 members, initiated the strike to prevent the government from moving forward with the deal. Secretary-General Moss Ndiema stated the strike would continue until the government rescinds the proposal and resolves long-standing disputes related to collective-bargaining agreements.
“If the two issues are addressed, then the strike ends immediately,” Ndiema said. Approximately 10,000 union members work at JKIA.
The state-run Kenya Airports Authority (KAA), which manages all airports in the country, claimed that the strike violated a court order. More than 40 passenger airlines and 25 cargo carriers operate out of JKIA, which served 8.21 million passengers last year, accounting for two-thirds of Kenya’s air travelers.
The government has defended the deal with Adani, arguing that the airport, which is a major regional hub, is stretched beyond capacity and in urgent need of improvement. It insists that the BOT arrangement would provide the necessary upgrades without the government shouldering the financial burden.
Despite this, the strike has caused significant disruptions, highlighting the strong opposition to the government’s plan from both aviation workers and the public. As of now, operations at Kenya’s largest airport remain in limbo, affecting thousands of passengers and businesses reliant on air travel.
