NAIROBI, Kenya — The Kenya Aviation Workers Union (KAWU) has issued a seven-day strike notice after talks with the government and the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) over salary reviews and unionisation collapsed, raising the prospect of a nationwide shutdown of air transport.
Speaking to the press on Tuesday, KAWU Secretary General Moses Ndiema accused KCAA of unfair labour practices, saying aviation workers have endured years of stagnated pay despite repeated appeals and mediation efforts.
“We have exhausted all avenues, including court-ordered mediation, but nothing has changed,” Ndiema said. “Some of our members have gone for over 11 years without a salary review. This is discriminatory and deeply demoralising to workers who keep the aviation sector operational.”
Ndiema warned that if the grievances are not addressed within seven days, the union will proceed with industrial action that could paralyse air travel across the country.
“We will close the airspace, ground everything and shut down all Kenyan airports. This is a warning,” he said.
According to KAWU, the dispute centres on stalled salary increments, delayed promotions, and what the union describes as KCAA’s refusal to fully unionise eligible staff members. The union maintains that failure to resolve the issues will result in a total shutdown of Kenya’s airspace, affecting both domestic and international flights.
Such a strike would severely disrupt operations at all Kenyan airports, including Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), the country’s main aviation hub. JKIA handles an estimated 8.6 million passengers annually, making it critical to tourism, trade, and regional connectivity in East and Central Africa.
This is not the first time aviation workers have resorted to industrial action. In September 2025, a strike by aviation workers paralysed operations at JKIA and other airports, forcing passengers to delay or cancel flights for nearly two days before the government intervened.
Following that strike, the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) said a breakthrough had been reached after engagements involving the Ministry of Roads and Transport, the Ministry of Labour and other stakeholders.
However, KAWU now says the underlying issues, particularly those affecting KCAA staff, remain unresolved.
