Kenya’s aviation sector faces potential chaos as workers under the Kenya Aviation Workers Union (KAWU) have set a seven-day deadline for the government and the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) to address longstanding grievances.
The union warns that failure to act will force a full suspension of operations at all airports across the country.
Union leaders say their concerns stem from years of neglected salary adjustments and alleged unequal treatment of staff, with some employees waiting over 11 years for a pay review.
“We will close the airspace, ground everything and shut down all Kenyan airports. This is a warning. If they do not intervene and resolve our issues within seven days, we will take action,” KAWU Secretary General Moses Ndiema told reporters.
Ndiema added that efforts to resolve the disputes through court-ordered mediation have failed, leaving workers frustrated and disheartened.
“The mediation process ordered by the court has collapsed, and our members are frustrated. We cannot continue working under these conditions,” he said, stressing that the union is prepared to take extreme measures if no resolution is reached within the week.
Walter Ongeri, a KAWU official, appealed to the government to intervene promptly, warning that a delay could escalate into a total aviation shutdown.
“We are asking the government to intervene now and save face before the situation escalates into a full-blown shutdown of operations,” Ongeri said.
The union’s demands include overdue salary reviews, stalled career growth, and equal treatment of staff at KCAA. KAWU cautioned that any strike would affect flights nationwide, including Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, with serious consequences for tourism, trade, and regional connections.
A conciliation meeting convened last year aimed to prevent a strike at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. The court-filed report from October 2, 2025, indicated progress on some issues but noted disputes over board leadership and management practices remained unresolved.
The report, signed by conciliator A K Nyagah, directed that all 507 staff on fixed-term contracts be converted to permanent and pensionable positions by November 2025. It also called for appointment letters for promoted staff and clearing of pending overtime payments for Wilson Airport staff and other stations by October 2025.
While the report recommended procurement of two new air bridges and repair of five grounded ones, two major concerns persisted: KAWU demanded removal of the current KCAA board citing misconduct, and called for restructuring the human resources department following non-renewal of Anthony Njagi’s contract as HR general manager.
KCAA has dismissed these claims, saying the union is overstepping management responsibilities. The board will handle the issue of Njagi’s contract.
“The grievances which led to the labour unrest and issuance of strike notice have largely been addressed in the report. Accordingly, the respondent (KAWU) and its members now anticipate implementation of the observations and findings made by the conciliator,” said senior counsel Fred Ngatia, representing the workers.
“The orders we propose are that the labour unrest be marked as resolved on terms that the conciliator's observations and findings will be implemented envisaged.”
Despite these measures, KAWU says confidence in the KCAA board has eroded, pointing to ongoing delays in paying overtime at Wilson Airport and continuous changes within the human resources department.
