Editor's Review

Aviation workers have issued demands to the government after staging protests at JKIA.

Aviation workers on Monday, September 2, held demonstrations at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) to reject the government's deal with Indian firm, Adani Holdings, to upgrade the facility.

In photos and videos seen by Nairobileo.co.ke, the workers marched through the streets of JKIA while holding placards and chanting 'Adani must go'.

Kenya Aviation Workers Union (KAWU) Secretary General Moses Ndiema, who joined the protests, called on the government to stop all stakeholder engagement, claiming that KAWU had not been involved.

Aviation workers on the streets of JKIA.

"We can't be given documents that we haven't read and they continue with engagements, meaning that we are not consequential whether we read them or not. They have to stop all stakeholder engagements," Ndiema remarked.

Ndiema also demanded the cancellation of a government delegation to India to visit the company's premises, adding that they would go on strike immediately if their demands were not met.

"We don't want anybody, especially from the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA), going to India to do due diligence. If they don't meet those demands, even the seven days won't last. I will tell you if we'll begin the strike tomorrow or the day after tomorrow," he explained. 

Aviation workers carrying placards.

This comes after KAWU on Saturday, August 31, suspended its planned strike for a period of seven days.

"After today's meeting, it was resolved that the industrial action be halted for seven days to allow us to read, comprehend, and make documented demands to the government on Adani PPP proposals as shared with us," KAWU stated.

The union has been against the sourcing of Adani Airport Holdings to revamp JKIA, maintaining that the deal would lead to job losses.