Passengers at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport are stranded following the Kenya Aviation Workers Union (KAWU) strike that began at midnight.
The strike has interrupted operations at Kenya’s airports with KAWU Secretary General Moss Ndiema appealing to travelers who had intended to use Kenya’s airports to make alternative plans.
The Secretary General of KAWU which represents aviation workers from KAA, KCA, KQ, Swissport Kenya, Tradewinds Aviation Services and Eurocraft Agencies has also urged the government to set aside plans to lease airport operations Adani Airports Holding of India.
On Monday, the High Court granted the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) and the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) request for leave to file a judicial review to challenge the Kenya Airports Authority’s (KAA) decision to lease Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) to Adani Airport Holdings for 30 years.
The court further issued a stay prohibiting any person from implementing or acting on the privately initiated Adani proposal over JKIA pending the conclusion of the court case.
In a statement from the Judiciary, the matter shall be mentioned on 8th of October 2024 with a view to securing a judgement date.
Ndiema says the union members are also demanding that Kenya Airports Authority and Kenya Airways to honor the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) that was entered with the union and which has not been implemented.
In a letter addressed to Kenya Airports Authority Acting Managing Director Henry Ogoye and Kenya Airways Group Managing Director Allan Kilavuka, KAWU called for the resignation of the Board of Directors of KAA as well as employees of Kenya Airways deemed to have been part of the team that negotiated the deal to have a strategic investor to manage operations at JKIA.
