The High court has temporarily halted the planned takeover of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) by India’s Adani Group.
The High Court ruling, which comes amid protests and opposition from aviation unions, has put Gautam Adani’s ambitious plans to manage Kenya’s busiest airport on hold.
The court’s decision blocks a proposed 30-year lease that would have handed over the management of JKIA to Adani Group, as part of the company’s broader strategy to expand its footprint in the global aviation sector. JKIA, located in Nairobi, is East Africa’s largest aviation hub and a vital gateway for the region.
This ruling follows widespread protests that began in July, sparked by concerns over the potential impact on local jobs and fears of foreign control. The Kenya Aviation Workers Union (KAWU), which represents a significant portion of the country’s aviation workforce, has been at the forefront of the opposition. The union argues that the deal with Adani would result in massive job losses and the hiring of foreign workers, displacing Kenyans from critical positions at the airport.
KAWU recently announced a seven-day strike notice, demanding that the government cancel what it termed as the “unlawful intended sale” of JKIA to Adani Airport Holdings. The union has maintained that the move would harm the interests of Kenyan workers and compromise national interests.
In response, the Kenyan government has denied that the airport is being sold, clarifying that no final decision has been made regarding the partnership. The government has framed the arrangement as a potential public-private partnership aimed at upgrading and modernizing the airport’s infrastructure, without indicating an outright sale.
