Chaos has engulfed Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) this Monday morning as the Kenya Aviation Workers Union (KAWU) makes good on its threat to down tools, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded.

The paralysis at East Africa’s busiest aviation hub began at dawn. Frustrated travelers took to social media to share images of long queues, unattended check-in counters, and flight information screens displaying a cascade of "DELAYED" notifications. The strike, precipitated by the expiry of a seven-day notice issued by KAWU, signals a breakdown in talks between the union and the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA).

For the Kenyan economy, the timing is perilous. JKIA is not just a transit point; it is the nerve center of the region’s horticulture exports and tourism industry. A prolonged disruption threatens to hemorrhage millions of shillings in daily revenue, damaging Kenya’s reputation as a reliable logistics hub just as the high season for tourism begins to taper off.

"99% Mobilization"

KAWU Secretary General Moss Ndiema remained unyielding. Speaking to the press over the weekend, Ndiema declared that the industrial action was "99 per cent" guaranteed unless the government met their demands. [...](asc_slot://start-slot-5)"We are not asking for impossible things," Ndiema stated. "For an employee whose pay has not been reviewed for the past 12 or 15 years, how do you expect them to survive?"

The union’s grievances are deep-rooted:

• Salary Reviews: A demand for the implementation of a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) that has stalled for over a decade.
• Job Security: The immediate conversion of long-serving contractual staff to permanent and pensionable terms.
• Outsourcing: A halt to what the union terms "illegal outsourcing" of labor at the East African School of Aviation and KCAA.

Traveler Agony

On the ground, the impact was immediate. "2.5 hours on the tarmac at JKIA with NO AC on our plane. We are literally sweating to death," tweeted traveler Ken Obonyo, capturing the desperation of passengers trapped in metal tubes under the Nairobi sun. Former radio presenter Chris Foot also reported significant delays, citing "Air Traffic Control" issues—a euphemism for the skeleton staff currently managing the airspace.

As the standoff continues, the Ministry of Transport faces immense pressure to intervene. With Ndiema warning that "aviation is not a dumpsite for cheap labor," the government must navigate a delicate path between fiscal restraint and the urgent need to restore order to Kenya's skies.