Airport workers call off strike after reaching deal with government over JKIA lease

Kenya's aviation workers have resolved to return to work after reaching an agreement with the government, following a long day protest over the controversial leasing out of the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) to Indian Company, Adani Holdings Limited.

The workers, represented by the Kenya Aviation Workers Union (KAWU), announced on Wednesday that they have secured documents detailing the 30-year lease agreement between the government and Adani.

According to the union, they will take 10 days to review the details and outline any underlying issues.

The decision, announced by Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir, KAWU leader Moss Ndiema, and Central Organisation of Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary General Francis Atwoli, will see operations resume at the airport and other major airports in Mombasa, Kisumu, and Eldoret.

Thousands of passengers had been stranded since Tuesday night due to the protests.

As part of the return-to-work agreement, the government committed to allowing aviation workers to scrutinise the documents related to the Adani deal.

The union said a follow-up meeting will be held after the 10-day review to address any concerns raised by the union and other stakeholders, including Kenya Airways and the Kenya Airports Authority.

“We will work together and build points of convergence. We have an agreement, and we are aware that we have been taken to court. We will now present all the documents to the court to ensure the public understands,” said CS Chirchir, referring to legal challenges already filed against the deal.

In a statement read by Atwoli, it was emphasised that the way forward will depend on the outcome of these discussions.

“The way forward will be determined by the outcomes of deliberations after 10 days,” he said.

Additionally, the government has agreed to initiate salary negotiations with the union and discuss a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) within two months.

However, Ndiema stressed that while the workers have agreed to resume their duties, this should not be seen as an endorsement of the Adani deal.

“We have not said that we accept Adani,” he said, reiterating that the union's position on the matter remains cautious.