Kenya Calls Off Two-Day Airport Strike
The Kenya Aviation Workers Union (KAWU) agreed to stand down following emergency talks with senior government officials and airport management, ending a standoff that had exposed deep-seated labor grievances stretching back nearly a decade.
The breakthrough came after high-level negotiations brought together the Ministry of Roads and Transport, the Ministry of Labor, the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA), and KAWU, with all parties pledging to resolve outstanding worker demands through a formal collective bargaining process.
Davies Chirchir, cabinet secretary for the Ministry of Roads and Transport, confirmed the deal in a joint statement issued in Nairobi. "Aviation contributes immensely to the economy of the country, and we are committed to ensuring that the sector remains stable," he said.
Among the immediate measures outlined in the agreement was a directive to reassess staff representation within the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA). "Immediate action includes reviewing the level of representation of Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) staff to consider grades previously proposed and agreed upon but not included," the statement said.
Kenya Airways and several international carriers had already reported significant schedule disruptions caused by air traffic control constraints at the height of the strike. Hundreds of passengers were left stranded inside terminals, with some remaining aboard grounded aircraft for hours awaiting takeoff clearance.
KAA confirmed that normalization was underway across the country's airport network. "Operations are now normalizing across all airports. Passengers are advised to contact their airlines for the latest flight schedules," the authority said in a statement.
At the heart of the dispute were long-standing complaints over stalled wage negotiations, substandard working conditions, and the KCAA's failure to implement a collective bargaining agreement that workers say has been pending for ten years. The Ministry of Labor will now oversee a formal conciliation process aimed at reaching a durable resolution, with KAWU committing to structured dialogue that balances workers' rights against the broader interests of passengers and national aviation stability.
Tourism officials had urged a swift end to the crisis, warning of cascading damage to one of Kenya's most vital economic pillars. Rebecca Miano, cabinet secretary for the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife, had earlier issued a pointed appeal to all sides. "The uninterrupted operation of our aviation infrastructure is vital to traveler safety, national commerce, and the livelihoods of countless Kenyans who depend on tourism. I respectfully urge all parties involved in the air traffic control strike to return to dialogue in good faith and resolve their outstanding issues swiftly," Miano said.
Kenya's aviation industry underpins major segments of the national economy, facilitating millions of passengers annually and generating billions of U.S. dollars in freight revenue. Analysts note that a prolonged work stoppage risked eroding investor confidence and undermining the country's post-pandemic tourism recovery at a critical juncture.
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