By Mandere Onyinkwa
Operations at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) and other key aerodromes have resumed.
This is after the government and the Kenya Aviation Workers Union (KAWU) reached an agreement to end a brief but disruptive industrial action that affected Kenyan airspace.
In a press statement issued on Tuesday, the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority said the industrial action, which lasted about one and a half days, caused disruptions at JKIA, a vital regional aviation hub, before urgent conciliation talks restored normalcy.
The Ministry of Roads and Transport apologised to passengers, airlines and other stakeholders affected by the disruption, noting that swift engagement helped avert a prolonged shutdown.
Cabinet Secretary Davies Chirchir, alongside Principal Secretary for Aviation and Aerospace Development Terry Mbaika, convened an emergency meeting bringing together KAWU, the State Department of Labour, the Kenya Airports Authority and the aviation regulator.
“All parties formally agreed to an immediate return to work,” the statement said, confirming that airport operations at JKIA and other facilities resumed without further interruption.
Chirchir reaffirmed the government’s commitment to stability in the aviation sector, which plays a critical role in the national economy.
“Aviation contributes immensely to the economy of the country and we are committed to ensure that the sector remains stable,” he said.
Under the agreement, the level of representation of KCAA staff will be reviewed, including consideration of grades that had previously been proposed and agreed upon but not implemented.
The Ministry of Labour will also assist in a conciliatory process aimed at addressing all outstanding issues raised by workers, while KAWU has committed to a round-table engagement to resolve employee concerns.
The statement emphasised that ongoing dialogue will prioritise passengers, aviation reliability and national interests, as Kenya seeks to maintain its standing as a regional air transport hub.
KAWU Secretary General Moss Ndiema welcomed the government’s approach, describing the engagement as timely and constructive.
“We acknowledge the involvement of the ministries of Roads and Transport, Labour, and the leadership of both KCAA and KAA,” he said.
“We are happy about the successful engagements and, in effect, the union calls off the strike based on the terms agreed in the return-to-work formula.”
Ndiema added that the talks reaffirmed a shared commitment to fairness, sector stability and sustainable industrial relations, noting that the Ministry of Labour will play a key role in the next phase of dialogue.