The country was on Wednesday locked out from the rest of the world as the regional aviation hub, the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), was thrown into a state of paralysis after workers downed their tools.
The chaos that unfolded at the airport led to delays and cancellation of incoming and outbound flights, catching thousands of travellers and international businesses unawares.
Senior government officials were not spared by the protests against the takeover of the facility by Adani Airports Holdings.
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi was stranded for hours and was unsure whether he would make it for the annual citizens festival in Berlin, Germany.
Others caught up were Cabinet Secretaries Rebecca Miano of Tourism, Alfred Mutua of Labour as well as their Principal Secretaries.
Already some of the orderlies had flown out in advance to prepare for their arrival.
The festival, popularly known as Burgerfest, is hosted by the German presidency every year to celebrate cultural diversity with a nation of their choice. Sources indicated that President William Ruto’s is also scheduled to attend.
By last evening, a meeting chaired by Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir drafted a return-to-work formula.
Also at the talks were the Central Organisation of Trade Unions Secretary General Francis Atwoli, the Kenya Airways, Kenya Aviation Workers Union (Kawu) and the airport management.
“We undertake to go through them within 10 working days and flag out areas of our concern, which shall immediately be pointed out with a view of jointly engaging in discussion with the Government, Kenya Airways PLC and Kenya Airports,” reads the document.
The meeting also resolved to expedite Collective Bargaining Agreements negotiations within two months.
The government, however, stated that the matter was already in court and therefore it would use the process to release the relevant information.
The striking workers fear that the proposed lease of the East Africa’s busiest airport to Adani Airport Holdings, an Indian company, for 30 years would result to job losses, while some of them would get unfavourable contracts.
Earlier in the day, the ordinarily busy airport terminals were filled with frustrated passengers. Many flights were grounded, security compromised and thousands of passengers stranded.
Employees left key desks unmanned. At the main JKIA entrance, security checks, usually conducted through automated machines, were reduced to basic manual searches by security personnel.
Stranded passengers waited in long lines, some sat on the floor while others paced nervously, checking their phones for updates that never came.
Siema Abdul, an American healthcare worker, had a flight but found herself stuck.
“I was supposed to leave yesterday (Tuesday), and now today (Wednesday) is the same thing. No flights, no communication. I am worried about my job. Patients are waiting, and I am here with no idea when I will be able to leave. It is very disappointing,” he said.
Josephine Kwamboka arrived at 3am for an 8.30am flight to India, only to find herself still waiting 12 hours later.
“I have been here all day with no information about my flight. It is exhausting,” said Kwamboka.
Added Davis Kabale: “We brought my mother-in-law who was in the country for treatment to fly to Uganda. We were here two hours early, but now the flight time has passed with no updates. We are losing hope.”
Esther Wangechi, scheduled for a flight to China through Tanzania, called on government to rethink the lease.
“What the government is doing is not right and this should be revisited entirely. JKIA is the gateway to and out of the country, a very sensitive place to entrust foreigners to run the operations under their own terms and conditions,” said Wangechi.
Atwoli, who yesterday visited the airport, blamed the government.
“I called the previous CS for Roads and transport, Murkomen (Kipchumba), with a view to trying to educate and advise him to meet with the workers and explain the Adani issue to them. Our ministers are arrogant; they don’t pick up calls unless they are from businessmen and employers. This is what has brought all this,” he said.
Last week, Labour Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua met with KAA employees, urging them to put the strike on hold.
Dr Mutua promised to provide detailed documentation on the Adani lease deal by Friday.
During the meeting, the CS acknowledged that workers felt left in the dark about the lease proposal.
“Throughout our discussions, it became clear that the employees lacked a complete understanding of key issues affecting their welfare, leading to the spread of various rumours,” he said.
However, when the promised documents were not delivered, Kawu Secretary General Moss Ndiema said the union had no choice but to proceed with the strike.
