The Kenya Aviation Workers (KAWU) has issued a seven day strike notice to the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) and Kenya Airways management.
The aviation workers umbrella body is threatening to withdraw its services in all KAA-run airports across the country over plans by the government to enter a concession with a private firm to run operations and expand the facility.
“We had already given KAA and the government a seven day informal notice to withdraw that deal and to make management changes within KAA and KQ. Thy never did anything,” said Moss Ndiema.
According to Ndiema, the union also wants resignation of KAA Board which is currently being chaired by Caleb Kosittany.
KAWU has maintained that KAA has sufficient resources which can be mobilized to ensure JKIA is expanded instead of sourcing for private firms to undertake the works.
“Between 2021 and 2023, the Government of Kenya through treasury has collected a total of Ksh 25 billion from KAA. That money is more than enough to construct a fully fledged terminal, no one, even two terminals and a runway,” said Ndiema.
The government has however maintained that the estimated Ksh 260 billion ($2b) needed to modernize the aerodrome can not be undertaken by the exchequer but through Public Private Partnership.
Early this year, India’s Adani Airport Holdings had submitted a privately initiated proposal bid to take over management of JKIA is a deal valued at $1.85 billion.
“KAA does not require external investment to modernize and expand JKIA. KAA is one of the most liquid parastatals we have today,” argued Ndiema.
The aviation union which represents some 10,000 aviation workers also want sacking of KAA Acting Director General Henry Ogoye, head of human resource Anthony Njagi, engineering general manager Meshack Ochieng, security operations manager James Kiprono and KQ head of security Bernard Oganga.
The union which represents at least 10,000 workers from KAA, KCA, KQ, Swissport Kenya, Tradewinds Aviation Services and Eurocraft Agencies says the strike will go on unless the government rejects the deal and acts on its demands.
