Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) has suspended some of its employees’ contracts without notice, a move that has ignited public outrage.
In videos circulating online, the airport staff mainly cleaners are seen sleeping on the terminals in the cold, with reports indicating that they were fired on Tuesday evening.
For instance, the employees indicate that they received the information about their contracts suspension and since it was during curfew hours they had nowhere to go rather than sleep in the cold.
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“We normally operate in three shifts, the first two went on without a hitch, but as I left for home at around 5 PM, I got a call from a member of my team, who then told me that they had been asked to leave the airport with all their belongings. I hurriedly made my way back and found out that at around ten minutes to 6 PM, all the workers were informed that their contracts had been suspended effective immediately,” one of the workers is quoted.
Further, in a video some of the employees say that they work with Colnet company adding that they were going about with their normal duties before they were ambushed and forced to write down their names and their passes taken away.
https://twitter.com/Charleswahinya_/status/1255214650414809091
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This has ignited outrage with netizens using different social media platforms to stand in solidarity with the workers as well as castigating the airport management.
On Twitter, it is on top of the trending list. Here are some of the reactions:
https://twitter.com/DaktariGatero/status/1255334463954878467
https://twitter.com/Charleswahinya_/status/1255214650414809091
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This is how the workers spent the night at #JKIA. We need an action done! @COTU_KE pic.twitter.com/lyrBUrMF61
— Insider Kenya (@The_InsiderKe) April 29, 2020
https://twitter.com/AtitwaGmail/status/1255344988692545536
They reported to work at #JKIA only to be suspended and kicked out of their work stations. They were forced to sleep like dogs as they were unable to go back to their homes because of the curfew. How can KAA suspend employment contracts at night? pic.twitter.com/JBDsxLBnfE
— Victor Mochere (@VictorMochere) April 29, 2020