Hundreds of passengers have been stranded at Kenya’s main airport after workers went on strike over a planned takeover by an Indian company.
The aviation workers’ union opposes proposals to lease Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), in Nairobi to the Adani group for 30 years.
The union argues the deal could lead to job losses.
After union members walked out on Wednesday morning, flights were delayed and cancelled.
The government has defended the proposal, saying the airport is operating beyond capacity and needs private investment to upgrade it.
Passengers could be seen sitting on their luggage as they waited in queues outside the airport on Wednesday morning.
In a statement JKIA said: “As of 7:00am, minimal operations had resumed. In the meantime, we are engaging relevant parties to normalise operations. We apologise for any inconvenience caused and appreciate your patience and understanding during this time.”
The aviation workers’ union has previously warned of an indefinite strike after the government failed to disclose details of the deal with the Adani Group.
The Law Society of Kenya and the Kenya Human Rights Commission also criticised the plans, arguing that it is unreasonable to lease a strategic national asset to a private company.
The two parties filed a challenge to the High Court, which subsequently halted the deal to allow time for a judicial review.
The date for a final court decision has yet to be set.
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Source link : https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3rdg13z1j7o
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Publish date : 2024-09-11 08:10:30
