The Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) and the Kenya Aviation Workers Union (KAWU) have reached an agreement that brings to an end a looming strike that threatened to disrupt operations at major airports across the country.

The news was revealed by the authority via a press statement dated October 1, 2025.

“The Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) is pleased to announce the successful resolution of the labour matter with the Kenya Aviation Workers Union (KAWU). The seven-day strike notice issued by the union on September 23, 2025, has been called off following constructive and collaborative deliberations,” the press statement read.

On 23 September 2025, KAWU issued a seven-day strike notice accusing the KAA board of incompetence. The union accused the board of incompetence, poor governance, and questionable decisions.

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The proposed industrial action raised fears of disruptions at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, one of Africa’s busiest aviation hubs. The union’s demands also included concerns about labour conditions and the Authority’s handling of workers’ grievances.

However, following days of conciliation meetings, the two sides have reached common ground. In a statement released on Wednesday, 1 October 2025, KAA announced that the strike notice had been withdrawn.

Court directive and resolution

Mohamud Gedi, the acting Managing Director and CEO of KAA, thanked the KAA Board of Directors, led by Chairman Caleb Kositany, as well as the Ministry of Roads and Transport and the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection for their role in facilitating the talks.

“We also thank KAWU for their constructive engagement throughout the process,” Gedi added.

The breakthrough followed a court directive on 29 September that required both parties to reconcile their differences before any industrial action could take place. The union agreed to suspend the strike for two days to allow the negotiations to proceed.

“The deliberations concluded at around 7:45 pm and the meeting was adjourned until tomorrow morning when we will resume conciliation again,” KAWU said in a statement earlier this week. The union confirmed that a report was filed in court before the matter was settled.

In its closing statement on Wednesday, KAA assured the public of its commitment to service delivery.

“Passengers, airlines, and partners can be assured of our commitment to excellent customer experience across all KAA-managed airports. The Authority remains dedicated to upholding the highest standards of safety, security, and service excellence,” Gedi said.