NAIROBI, Kenya- Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir has remained largely out of the public spotlight as an aviation workers’ strike continues to disrupt operations at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), leaving hundreds of passengers stranded.
The strike entered its second day on Monday, with flights delayed and cancelled as workers under the Kenya Aviation Workers Union (KAWU) continued their industrial action.
While the disruption has intensified, the Ministry of Roads and Transport has not issued a detailed public response from the Cabinet Secretary on the ongoing crisis.
The Transport Ministry has remained publicly silent on the strike, with Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei instead providing an indication that the government was working towards a settlement.
The absence of a prominent public statement from the Transport CS has come as passengers spend hours, and in some cases the night, at JKIA waiting for their flights or assistance from airlines.
The Kenya Airports Authority has confirmed that the disruption to air traffic control services is affecting flights, with some services delayed for more than 7 hours and others cancelled.
It has advised passengers to contact their airlines and confirm flight status before travelling to the airport.
Kenya Airways has reported delays exceeding six hours and said the resulting backlog has forced it to reschedule and cancel some flights.
KAWU says the strike is linked to unresolved employment grievances involving workers at the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA), Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) and Jambojet.
Among the issues raised by the union are remuneration, employment benefits, working conditions and concerns over proposed changes to the management of JKIA.
The union says previous attempts to resolve the dispute have failed.
The latest action follows a framework agreement brokered by Chirchir on July 27, which was intended to provide a timetable for negotiations between the union and the affected employers.
KAWU later resumed the strike after saying the agreed process had failed to resolve its concerns.
This is not the first time Chirchir has intervened in an aviation labour dispute.
In February, he convened talks involving KAWU, KAA, KCAA and the Ministry of Labour, leading to an agreement that ended an earlier strike.
As the latest standoff continues, hundreds of passengers remain affected, with airlines arranging hotel accommodation for some stranded travellers while negotiations between the government and union continue.
The government has apologised for the disruption and said it is engaging all parties to restore normal operations at JKIA.
