Kenya airport shuts down as workers strike against India's Adani

Hundreds of workers at Kenya's main international airport demonstrated on Wednesday against a planned deal between the government and a foreign investor.

Several passengers have been stranded at Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) since Tuesday night when the Kenya Airport Workers Union (KAWU) began an indefinite strike at midnight to protest the government's plan to lease the airport to India's Adani Group.

The government has said that the build-and-operate agreement with Adani Group would see the airport renovated, and an additional runway and terminal constructed, in exchange for the group running the airport for 30 years.

Kenya Airport Workers Union, in announcing the strike, said that the deal would lead to job losses and “inferior terms and conditions of service” for those who will remain.

"The government has not been honest, and they are not genuine. They did not provide us with all of the documents that we requested. All we want is for the government to cancel the Adani deal," Kenya Airport Workers Union (KAWU) Secretary General Moss Ndiema told local media on Tuesday.

The protest caused significant disruptions, with many travelers stuck in long queues and flights grounded, forcing many to cancel domestic and international flights.

The airport handles over 8.8 million passengers annually but has been plagued by infrastructure challenges, including leaking roofs, frequent power outages, and aging facilities.

More strikes

Last week, airport workers had threatened to go on strike, but the plans were called off pending discussions with the government.

The spotting of unknown people moving around with airport officials taking notes and photographs raised concerns that the Indian firm officials were readying for the deal, local media outlets reported last week.

The High Court on Monday temporarily halted the implementation of the deal until a case filed by the Law Society and the Kenya Human Rights Commission is heard.