A planned strike by aviation staff at Kenya’s international airport has been postponed for two weeks to allow for dialogue, a spokesman announced Saturday.
Around 10,000 members of the Kenya Aviation Workers Union were set to strike starting August 19 in response to the government’s investment deal with India’s Adani Group to expand and operate Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).
“After discussions, we have decided to delay our strike for two weeks to give dialogue a chance,” said union secretary-general Moss Ndiema, adding that a meeting with the transport ministry is scheduled for Tuesday.
The union has previously opposed the deal, claiming it aims to stealthily privatize the airport. The strike is now set to begin on September 2 “unless the talks yield results,” Ndiema noted.
Under the proposal, Adani would invest $1.85 billion in expanding the airport in exchange for a 30-year operating contract. Plans include adding a second runway and upgrading the passenger terminal, according to the Kenya Airport Authority (KAA).
The Kenyan government defends the deal as essential for refurbishing JKIA, one of Africa’s busiest airports, which frequently experiences power outages and leaking roofs. KAA stated that the deal would undergo technical, financial, and legal reviews along with required due processes.
Last year, billions were wiped from Adani Group’s market value following a report by Hindenburg Research, which accused the conglomerate of corporate fraud. Gautam Adani, the founder and the world’s 12th richest person according to Bloomberg, has denied these allegations, calling the report a “deliberate attempt” to harm the company’s reputation for the benefit of short-sellers.
In the 2022/23 financial year, KAA reported that 8.8 million passengers and 380,000 tonnes of cargo passed through JKIA, contributing just over five percent of Kenya’s GDP.