Aviation workers Saturday called off their strike that was scheduled to start on Sunday September 1.
The Kenya Aviation Workers Union (KAWU) announced the delay of the strike for a further seven days to enable them to read the documents presented to them by the government on the Adani deal.
The workers are opposed to the proposed takeover of running of the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) by Indian firm Adani Group.
“Our members have decided to delay the strike for seven days to allow us to peruse the documents presented by the government, thereafter we will announce the way forward,” said KAWU Secretary General Moss Ndiema.
Ndiema also cited the presence of strangers seen at JKIA, saying they’re believed to be from the Adani Group on a stock-taking mission.
“Our members are complaining of strangers believed to be Adani Group representatives who were seen stock-taking at JKIA. If it’s true, that has to stop immediately, they are creating anxiety,” he stated.
The union is further demanding all stakeholder engagements on the deal be stopped as they take time to read the documents presented by the government.
This comes as the Kenyan delegation led by senior managers of the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) is scheduled to visit India on a fact-finding mission.
“After today’s meeting it was resolved that the industrial action be halted for seven days to allow us to read,comprehend and make a documented demands to the government on ADANI PPP proposals as shared to us and Immediate cessation of stock-taking by ADANI Group at JKIA,” the union said Saturday in a post on X.
The workers will hold a procession on Monday to KAA offices to demand more documents from the management.
“We have yet to receive all the documents we demanded from KAA. We have only received a section of the document we requested,” Ndiema said.
The Indian firm has proposed to upgrade the airport, including the construction of a second runway and a new passenger terminal under a 30-year lease.
In the Sh246 billion deal, the Gautam Adani-owned Indian firm would upgrade the airport, including the construction of a second runway and a new passenger terminal, under a 30-year-build-operate-transfer (BOT) contract.
The firm will also be expected to carry out renovations and refurbishments to the airport.
It will also be responsible for the development and operation of JKIA- Kenya’s largest aviation facility and East Africa’s busiest airport.
The government has defended the deal insisting that JKIA was stretched beyond its capacity of 7.5 million passengers a year and urgently needed improvements.
The statement said modernising JKIA could cost $2 billion, which the government was “constrained to fund due to the tight fiscal situation”.
Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir while appearing before Parliament for vetting defended the Sh246 billion deal with the Indian firm over the expansion and takeover of the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport insisting that it is beneficial to the country.
“This is an off-balance sheet upgrade of the Kenya Airports Authority. If we can’t do it as the government, can we allow a private sector player to do it at a reasonable or competitive cost and return on investment?” Chirchir said.
But KAWU has dismissed the assertions by the government insisting that the role of refurbishing the airport should be taken up by the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA).
“Is there a justification why the KAA is going through the Public-Private partnership when it has resources? KAA is one of the few profit-making parastatals. It has its own money.”
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