Nairobi — Passengers have been stranded at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) as aviation workers began the strike over the controversial Adani deal.

A few passengers who spoke to Capital FM News stated that the airport was at a complete standstill even as the Kenya Aviation Workers Union (KAWU) confirmed that the strike started at midnight.

There were long queues of stranded travelers after boarding and takeoff were delayed, sparking an outrage.

The strike has been building up for weeks now and followed a notice issued by KAWU last month, where it strongly opposed the proposed leasing of JKIA to the Indian conglomerate Adani Group.

It also followed the collapse of talks between the union and government officials.

Aviation workers have over the past few weeks voiced opposition to the proposed lease of Jkia to Adani Group, an Indian airport operator.

However, the government says that the company is only set to invest in a second runway and refurbishment of the existing facilities at JKIA.

Last month, KAWU called off its planned strike that was set to kick off on September 1, 2024, to review lease deal documents provided by the state regarding the deal.

While announcing the postponement, KAWU Secretary General Moses Ndiema said that the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) had met one of the union's key demands by providing the concession documents.

The union had initially cited concerns over the government's adherence to legal requirements, particularly public participation, and the exclusion of KAWU members from discussions surrounding the leasing agreement.