The Kenya Aviation Workers Union (KAWU) has issued a seven-day strike notice to the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA). The action starts next Wednesday, March 25, 2026. Union Secretary General Moses Ndiema made the announcement on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, during a press briefing.

He accused KCAA of breaching the return-to-work formula signed on February 17, 2026. This formula ended a previous strike that disrupted operations at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) and other facilities.

Ndiema said KCAA failed to honour key parts of the deal. These include unionising employees in grades four and five, following court orders, and avoiding victimisation on either side.

“Kenya Civil Aviation Authority management is unable to respect the return-to-work agreement, which we signed before the CS Transport Davis Chirchir on February 17, 2026,” Ndiema said.

“Among other things, that return-to-work formula guaranteed that employees in grades four and five would be unionised. Two, that the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority management would obey all court orders because there was a court decision that defined it. Three, that there was not going to be victimisation from either side.”

He added:

“Today, we are surprised that as a gimmick to frustrate CBA negotiations, KCAA management has chosen to undermine that return-to-work formula.”

Union cites unfair dismissal

Ndiema pointed to a recent unfair dismissal as proof of the problem. He said one employee was fired without a show-cause letter or chance to defend themselves.

“We have a court decision that was made last year, in September, in respect to an employee who was dismissed unfairly,” he explained. “KCAA does not want to respect that… This is the law of the jungle, and we are saying that is not how progressive organisations like KCAA should behave.”

The union claims KCAA uses these violations to stall ongoing collective bargaining agreement talks. Ndiema stressed that the return-to-work formula forms the basis for all future negotiations.

“KCAA doesn’t seem ready to recognise the rule of law like any other corporate body in this country,” he said. “They want to act with impunity.”

He warned passengers of major disruptions from March 25 if KCAA does not fix the issues within the seven days.

This threat follows a pattern. In February, the Employment and Labour Relations Court issued interim orders to block an earlier strike. Justice Agnes Nzei ruled that the union could not act on its February 9 notice until the case was heard. Aviation strikes often cause flight delays, cancellations, and diversions across Kenya.