The situation at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi is currently tense and chaotic due to a strike by airport workers protesting a proposed lease of the airport to the Indian company Adani Group. The strike, which began on the night of September 10, 2024, has resulted in widespread disruptions, with long queues at check-in counters, significant flight delays, and cancellations, leaving many passengers stranded or forced to seek alternative.

The Kenya Aviation Workers Union (KAWU) has strongly opposed the government’s plan to lease JKIA to Adani Enterprises for 30 years. The union has raised concerns about potential job losses, the introduction of foreign workers, and deteriorating working conditions under the proposed agreement. They are also demanding the resignation of the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) Board of Directors and three senior managers, citing incompetence and poor handling of the leasing agreement.

The High Court of Kenya recently issued a temporary suspension of the leasing deal following legal challenges from the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) and the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), who argue that the deal lacks transparency and threatens public accountability. However, despite this court order, workers went ahead with their planned strike due to unresolved issues and demands for more transparency and better working conditions.

The Kenyan government has defended the proposed deal, arguing that it is necessary to modernize and expand JKIA to handle more passengers and improve facilities, given its current overcapacity and outdated infrastructure. The proposed agreement would involve an investment of $1.85 billion by Adani Enterprises, which includes the construction of a second runway and a new passenger terminal under a build-operate-transfer (BOT) mode.

The situation remains dynamic, with ongoing legal and public debates about the future of JKIA and the implications of the Adani deal. Further developments are expected as the government, the union, and other stakeholders continue to negotiate and address the ongoing concerns.