Hundreds of passengers have been stranded at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi as aviation workers launched a strike on Wednesday morning, protesting a proposed deal to lease the airport to India’s Adani Group.
The strike, which saw workers engage in a “go-slow” by deliberately working slowly to cause disruption, led to long queues outside the airport, with flights delayed or cancelled. Workers are opposed to a 30-year lease agreement with Adani Group, citing concerns about the deal’s transparency and potential job losses.
Footage from local broadcaster Citizen TV showed striking airport workers blowing plastic trumpets and chanting “Adani must go” while a police officer appeared to strike a protester with a baton.
The aviation workers’ union has expressed concerns that the deal, which the government says is needed to upgrade the overcapacity airport, is “opaque.” The government has defended the proposal, arguing that private investment is necessary to modernize JKIA, which is currently operating beyond its capacity.
Among those affected was Wilma van Altena, a Dutch tourist trying to return home for a funeral. “It’s been chaotic… There were hundreds of people outside the airport when we arrived, and we stood around and eventually made it inside,” she told the BBC. “We have no information. There’s nothing on the boards, and we’ve heard nothing from the airline.”
The Zimbabwe men’s football team was also left stranded, with no updates on their onward flight to Harare after arriving from Uganda following an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.
By mid-morning, the Kenya Airports Authority announced that “minimal operations” had resumed, but only a third of scheduled Kenya Airways flights had departed, according to Kenya Airways CEO Allan Kilavuka. Strikes have also spread to other airports across the country.
The Kenya Aviation Workers’ Union had earlier warned of an indefinite strike over the lack of transparency in the deal with Adani Group, one of India’s largest conglomerates. The Law Society of Kenya and the Kenya Human Rights Commission have also opposed the deal, filing a challenge in the High Court. The court has since halted the agreement, pending a judicial review.
The Adani Group, founded by billionaire Gautam Adani, operates in various sectors including airports, utilities, and ports. The deal, worth $1.85 billion, would involve significant upgrades to JKIA, including a new runway and improved passenger terminal.
The Adani Group has previously faced allegations of corruption and stock manipulation, accusations which it denies. In July, Kenyan protesters threatened to shut down the airport over concerns about the company’s involvement, and critics argue that leasing such a strategic asset to a private entity could undermine national interests. The final court ruling on the deal is yet to be announced.
Passengers continue to wait at JKIA, many sitting on their suitcases or sleeping on benches, as the disruption stretches into the day.