Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir faced a hostile crowd on Wednesday while addressing the press on agreements reached on the contentious JKIA-Adani proposal.
The CS was explaining the details of the deal at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) when a crowd of airport workers jeered him, forcing him to halt his speech. He, however, assured that he was there to listen to their concerns and ultimately concluded his speech.
“We have had a problem with communication. We have not communicated well to Kenyans about the Adani deal,” said Chirchir.
At the time of the interruption, Chirchir was explaining the steps the government would take before formalizing any agreement to hand over the airport.
However, the workers complained that CS’s explanation was complex and started jeering in the background.
The jeers eventually grew into a loud shout as the workers gathered at the venue made chants of “Adani Must Go”.
“We need the kind of airports we see in the developed countries to be able to attract more visitors to Kenya,” he added.
Chirchir assures due diligence in the Adani deal
In his address, CS Chirchir allayed fears that the government had agreed to hand over JKIA to any entity while insisting on the urgent need for Kenya to work towards having a new airport.
He attributed the concerns and outrage over the Adani proposal to take over operations at JKIA to inadequate communications, adding that the state was negotiating to ensure a good deal for Kenya.
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Chirchir also mentioned past challenges experienced at JKIA including cases of leaking roofs, which he termed as embarrassments that needed to be addressed.
He went on to announce that the government has reached a return-to-work formula with the airport workers.
On his part, Central Trade Union Organization (COTU) Secretary General Francis Atwoli who was present urged the workers to return to work.
The COTU boss assured that trade unions would protect the interests of all workers and that no deal would be signed between the government and the investor without addressing the underlying issues.
Way forward on JKIA Adani Deal
According to Atwoli, the workers will be actively involved in the process of considering Adani’s proposal going forward.
In addition, the COTU SG said the Union has received crucial documents pertaining to the deal which the Kenya Airports Workers Union (KAWU) had requested.
Atwoli also said that a meeting will be convened bringing together all relevant parties who will give the way forward on the deal’s fate.
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At the same time, the parties agreed that no employee should be fired or issued with any warning should the deal take off. The government also committed to complying with the ongoing court cases and providing any documentation as requested to ensure transparency.
The Acting Managing Director of the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) Henry Ogoye will also maintain an open-door policy for consultations with KAWU leaders. After listening to the resolutions, KAWU called the strike-off and directed members to prepare for the resumption of duties.
The meeting came hours after the airport workers’ strike paralyzed operations at one of the region’s busiest airports on Wednesday morning. Several flights were delayed or canceled during the interruption while hundreds of travelers were forced to spend long hours in queues at JKIA.
KAWU’s strike was a culmination of months of threats and a push and pull between the government and airport workers who were wary of the repercussions the proposed takeover would bring forth.
