On being assured by the government that the taking over of the airport by the Adani Group will happen only if the Kenya Aviation Workers Union approves the deal and related conditions, the strike by aviation workers was called off.
The strike had put a spanner in Gautam Adani’s $1.85 billion plan to redevelop Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), which is Kenya’s largest airport,
Employees of Kenya Airways and Kenya Airports Authority were not pleased with the deal that proposed development of the airport under the Indian company, Adani Airport Holdings. As per the investment proposal, a second runway will come up at the airport. However, the workers’ union feels that the deal is tantamount to the sale of JKIA to Adani Airport Holdings. The workers felt that Adani’s investment proposal would result in job losses and may favour and encourage non-Kenyan workers. To express their disapproval, they had begun a strike which was aimed at disrupting operations at the airport. Sure enough, the strike caused many flights to be delayed and even cancelled causing inconvenience to passengers flying in and out.
Now, the government and the Kenya Aviation Workers Union has decided to go through the deal and examine the documents closely within 10 days. The workers have been assured that the government will not proceed with the deal unless the workers union gives its approval.
The government has also clarified that while it is keen to facilitate the modernisation and upgradation of the airport, it is not in any way selling the airport.
