No Adani, No JKIA! RUTO tells worried JKIA workers as he vows to lease the airport to the Indian company even if they go on strike

Sunday, August 18, 2024 – The Kenyan airport workers’ looming strike has reached a crisis level after President William Ruto’s government vowed to go ahead with the alleged sale of the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) to the Indian Company by the name Adani Airport Holdings.

Despite considerable public outcry and legal challenges, the deal, which involves leasing Kenya’s main airport, Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), to Adani, continues to advance.

On August 19, airport employees are set to go on strike if their demands are not met. 

The Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) has been scrambling to prevent this industrial action by arranging meetings to clarify the details of the deal.

A leaked internal memo from the Acting Managing Director of KAA, signed by Joseph O. Okumu, has called for a consultation forum on August 20, 2024, to address the concerns of the workers.

The memo from Okumu, dated August 16, indicates that KAA has engaged Transaction Advisors to ensure a thorough due diligence process regarding the proposed public-private partnership. 

The memo urges employees to participate in the forum, which will be held at the State Pavilion.

The airport workers, represented by the Kenya Aviation Workers Union (KAWU), have voiced strong opposition to the deal, fearing that it could lead to significant job losses and the employment of foreign workers.

The union has demanded the resignation of key KAA officials, including Okumu, the General Manager of Engineering, and the General Manager of Human Resource Development.

However, the government maintains that JKIA is not being sold but rather that discussions are ongoing about a proposed partnership aimed at upgrading the airport.

The modernisation project, estimated to cost around $2 billion, is seen as critical due to the airport’s current issues, including outdated infrastructure.

The Kenyan DAILY POST