Kenya’s aviation workers called off a two-day strike on Tuesday that grounded flights and caused severe disruptions across major airports, including Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
According to statements by Transport Minister Davis Chirchir and union leader Moss Ndiema, the Kenya Aviation Workers Union agreed to suspend industrial action and instruct air traffic controllers to resume duties immediately.
The walkout, initiated over Sunday and Monday, caused widespread cancellations and delays exceeding 12 hours, stranding thousands of travellers across East Africa and interrupting key regional flight schedules.
The dispute stems from unresolved labor grievances, including non-implementation of backdated collective bargaining agreements dating back to 2015, alongside conflicts regarding union recognition at regional carriers like Jambojet.
Under the terms brokered during government-led talks, aviation authorities and union officials established structured guidelines to address pending collective bargaining agreements without subjecting returning workers to disciplinary victimization.
The walkout followed the collapse of a July framework agreement that had temporarily suspended a previous strike notice across the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority, Kenya Airports Authority, and national carriers.
The rapid resolution averts prolonged economic fallout for East Africa’s primary transport hub, though persistent labor friction underscores lingering operational vulnerabilities within Kenya’s aviation sector.
