Wednesday, September 11, 2024 - Thousands of passengers are currently stranded at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) after workers from the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) went on strike to protest the planned lease of the airport to the Indian firm, Adani Group.
The objective of the strike is
to stop the Kenyan government from handing over JKIA to Adani and to resolve
long-standing disputes relating to collective bargaining agreements, Kenya
Aviation Workers Union Secretary-General Moss Ndiema said Wednesday.
“If the two issues are
addressed, then the strike ends immediately,” he said by phone.
Under the terms of the build-operate deal, Adani's company is expected to upgrade Kenya's busiest airport, Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).
The agreement includes the construction of a second runway and a new passenger terminal, aiming to modernize the airport's infrastructure and increase its capacity.
However, the deal has sparked controversy, with KAA workers protesting the planned lease, citing concerns over job security and control of key national assets.
President William Ruto's government has defended the controversial deal with the Adani Group, insisting that Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) is stretched beyond its capacity and in urgent need of modernization.
In the deal, the Adani Group is expected to invest Sh 250 billion.
However, allegations have emerged that President William Ruto and his close associates are set to receive Sh 25 billion in kickbacks from the transaction, a common practice in Kenya's controversial public-private partnerships
The Kenyan DAILY POST
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