Government spokesperson, Isaac Mwaura in an update on his social media accounts revealed that talks were in progress between the government and aviation workers.
The government has intervened in a bid to address the ongoing strike at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi which has brought a wave of uncertainty as far as air travel into and out of the country is concerned.
Government spokesperson, Isaac Mwaura in an update on his social media accounts revealed that talks were in progress between the government and aviation workers. An update regarding those talks is yet to be issued by the time of publishing this article.
Mwaura however assured members of the public that the proposed leasing of JKIA to an Indian conglomerate Adani Group, that sparked a massive uproar nationwide leading to the go slow on Tuesday night and the full-blown strike the following day, was not etched in stone.
Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura during a past address. /FILE
“Fellow Kenyans. The Adani JKIA venture is only but a proposal. The CS Ministry of Transport Davis Chirchir PS Transport Mohammed Daghar and officials of Kenya Aviation Workers Union (KAWU) are currently in a meeting and a statement will be issued shortly,” he assured.
As of last night (September 10), workers from the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) staged a go-slow, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded and international flights threatened with delays in terms of departures.
This matter escalated the following day, with workers from the other major airports in Kenya downing their tools in solidarity with their colleagues over the proposed Adani deal.
New developments have even affected the sporting environment, with reports indicating that national football team Harambee Stars players were left stranded at the Oliver Tambo airport in Johannesburg, South Africa, just hours after participating in a 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier game against Namibia, in which they won 2-1.
Scheduled to depart Johannesburg at 12pm South African time, the players were informed that their flight would be delayed by several hours, and the earliest they could catch a flight was at 5 pm. The schedule of their next flight was however not guaranteed, as it was all dependent on whether the situation at the JKIA would normalise.
Earlier, the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) acknowledged the challenges experienced by the aviation industry and the inconvenience caused to passengers and other stakeholders due to the ongoing strike.
“Despite the disruption, we wish to assure the public that Air Navigation Services, including Air Traffic Control (ATC) operations, are fully operational and remain unaffected. We are committed to ensuring the safe and efficient management of Kenya’s airspace during this period.
“Aircraft operations, both take-offs and landings, are being handled without delays, and efforts are underway to address any backlog swiftly.
“We are actively monitoring the situation and will provide timely updates on airport operations as new developments arise, ensuring the safety, security, and convenience of air travel remain our top priority,” stated KCAA.
The workers have opposed the deal citing fears over job losses and the secrecy of the deal between the Indian-based company and the government.
Owing to the strike, most flights were delayed for the better part of Tuesday night and Wednesday. Some passengers were also left stranded as some airlines cancelled their flights. Notably, international airlines operating from JKIA also warned of service interruptions owing to the strike.
Passengers stranded at JKIA and Moi International Airports in Mombasa as airport workers strike at Kisumu and Eldoret Airports. /VIRAL TEA KE