By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Several passengers have been left stranded at Kenya’s main international airport in Nairobi following delays and total cancellation of flights after workers in the aviation sector declared an industrial action.
The biggest union of the country’s aviation workers said they would embark on the strike with effect from Wednesday over a proposed deal for India’s Adani Group to lease the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) for 30 years.
The Kenya Aviation Workers Union, which represents airport workers, said the proposed agreement announced in July would lead to job losses and bring in non-Kenyans to take over job slots in the sector.
Kenya’s government has said the airport is operating above capacity and needs modernisation, saying it is not for sale.
Authorities said the decision has been made on whether to proceed with what it calls a proposed public-private partnership to upgrade the site.
Videos shared on social media platform X showed hundreds of passengers queuing outside JKIA’s single terminal after the strike began at midnight on Tuesday.
On Wednesday morning, dozens of airport workers blew plastic trumpets and chanted “Adani must go”, according to footage on local broadcaster Citizen TV, which also showed a police officer hitting a protester with a baton.
Kenya’s high court on Monday temporarily blocked the Adani proposal, in which the Indian company would build a new runway and upgrade the passenger terminal, to allow time for a judicial review challenging the lease.
