Travellers pain, despair as aviation workers strike

From crowds of protesting workers to stranded passengers standing in the parking spaces braving the chilly early morning weather, JKIA was a hostile environment for travellers caught in the crosshairs of the fight to stop the Adani deal.

The deal seeks to lease the airport to the Adani group to manage and expand it over 30 years.

This writer was one such traveller.

Due for a 6am flight, the writer was at the airport from 4:30am for a 5am check in.

But once at the facility, the gathering of crowds in the main open area and in the spaces near some of the terminals were unusual.

The disruption was the result of a formal strike by aviation workers.

Some moved around blowing whistles, holding placards and chanting loudly.

On inquiring, a police officer said the workers are on a go slow, which had morphed into a full-blown strike.

“No plane is taking off and landing here since midnight. Just consider your trip cancelled. Go home instead of being in this cold,” the officer said.

The strike has been building up for weeks now and followed a notice issued by the Kenya Aviation Workers Union on August 12. 

The union opposed the leasing of JKIA to the Indian conglomerate Adani Group.

The strike also followed talks between the union and government officials, which insiders said had collapsed.

On August 31, Kawu announced a seven-day postponement of the strike. 

The delay was due to KAA’s partial concession—providing the union with the requested documents.

Ten days later, with no significant response from KAA, the unionisable workers of both entities returned to their protest. 

All the airline offices were shut, and travellers had to stand outside for hours on end as the night wore off.

Some decided to turn back while others sustained the hope that somehow, their airline will work out something to salvage their travels.

Besides the hundreds of cancelled or postponed flights, there were tales of pain for travellers with high stakes. 

Dennis Wachira was to catch a 6am flight to South Africa, where he taking his son for cancer treatment.

Clearly worn out and dejected, the 46-year-old remained at the airport, praying that his flight takes off.

“My son is four years old battling lymphoma and it has been a draining journey. I have had to be on a long queue to get this treatment appointment and if I miss it, it will take another long wait,” he said.

Wachira waited six months for the specialised appointment.

He has had to fundraise from his church and social network to afford the tickets, accommodation and other logistics, besides the medical fees.

“I have had to sell land, take loans and sell my car to afford this travel and the related costs. I have also done fundraisers for this. I just hope a miracle happens and lets me do this for my son,” he said.

Wachira’s story bear some semblance to Mohammed Adan’s, who was destined for Somalia.

He had been at Terminal 1 for Mogadishu from 3:30am.

“I’m a Kenyan but I have family members in Somalia. My mother is dead and she is to be buried this morning. I don’t want to miss this,” he said.

“My mother is the one who raised me and has been sick for a while.”

Adan’s mother died on the night of September 10 and was due for burial the following morning.

“If I miss this, my living would have no meaning. I have had to pay the premium price because I booked late. My issue is not the money. Just going to bury my mother.”

The aviation union said industrial action will continue until the government stops the Adani deal, but their grievances were not limited to the deal itself.

Secretary General Moss Ndiema said he had raised several concerns, including that the deal was likely to see massive layoffs, introduction of foreign workers and deterioration of working conditions.

They also want the Kenya Airports Authority Board of Directors and three senior managers to go, citing incompetence and mishandling of the leasing agreement.