Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) staff are currently staging a protest against the planned takeover of JKIA by Indian firm Adani Group.
The protest, visible in recent social media footage, shows KAA employees marching inside JKIA Airport highlighting their dissatisfaction with the lease deal.
The staff are voicing concerns over the lack of communication and transparency regarding the Adani Group’s involvement in JKIA.
Armed with placards, the workers condemned a Public Private Partnership (PPP) that will see Indian-based Adani Group Holdings take over operations at East Africa’s leading airport.
KAA staff argue that the Adani deal poses a risk to their jobs in favour of foreign workers.
This demonstration comes in the wake of the Kenya Aviation Workers Union (KAWU) Secretary General Moses Ndiema laying a 7-day postponement of workers strike in order to ‘review the lease deal’.
Despite the suspension, KAWU has issued three key demands: the immediate halt of Adani representatives’ activities at JKIA, notification about developments concerning the lease deal, and the prevention of union representatives from traveling to India to tour Adani offices.
The union has expressed frustration over the partial availability of the requested documents, with only two out of the ten demanded being provided.
KAWU Secretary General Moses Ndiema emphasized that their review of the documents should not be undermined by ongoing engagements with stakeholders.
He warned that if their demands are not met within the week, the planned industrial action will proceed as scheduled.
“We are making a demand that all engagements with stakeholders be stopped because we cannot be taking time to read and understand the documents that have been given to us while the process is ongoing,” Ndiema stated.
“If our concerns are not addressed within the next week, we will commence our strike action.”
