Back to Work: Kenya Aviation Workers Call Off Strike After Nearly 16 Hours of Talks With Government
By Gedion Nzyoki -
Nairobi, Kenya | September 1, 2026 — The Kenya Aviation Workers Union (KAWU) has called off its strike after reaching a return-to-work agreement with the government following nearly 16 hours of negotiations involving the Ministry of Labour, Ministry of Transport and aviation sector employers.
Speaking early Tuesday, September 1, 2026, at the Ministry of Transport offices during a press briefing, KAWU Secretary General Moss Ndiema announced the suspension of the strike, saying the union had reached compromises that would benefit its members and the country.
“We are effectively calling off our strike action and pleading with our members to begin the process of normalising operations, restoring services,” Ndiema said.
He directed workers who were on duty to begin clearing flights, while those working regular office hours were expected to report to work from 8am and resume normal operations.
KAWU to Begin CBA Talks With KCAA
Ndiema said one of the key gains from the negotiations was an agreement to commence collective bargaining negotiations with the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) within days.
“The key thing that we have achieved is that we will be beginning collective bargaining negotiations with the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority in a matter of a day or two,” he said.
According to Ndiema, the negotiations, which have been outstanding for years, are expected to be concluded within a month, paving the way for their implementation.
He also appealed to the government to pay greater attention to issues affecting the aviation sector, particularly those concerning the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA), urging President William Ruto to take a keen interest in the situation.
“We want to appeal to the government to pay a little more attention to issues aviation and of particular interest is KAA. We appeal to His Excellency the President to pay keen interest to what is happening at KAA,” Ndiema stated.
COTU Secretary General Francis Atwoli Welcomes Agreement
Meanwhile, Central Organisation of Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary General Francis Atwoli welcomed the agreement, saying negotiations had continued throughout the day and night before the parties reached a compromise.
He said the parties had agreed on several issues, including the resumption of union dues contributions and the process of establishing a recognition agreement between KAWU and JamboJet.
“We will soon embark on renewal of terms and conditions of service, that is CBA soon,” Atwoli said, adding that unresolved issues would continue to be pursued through negotiations.
The COTU Secretary General, however, warned that workers could return to industrial action if the negotiations were deliberately frustrated.
Government Apologises to Travellers
On his part, Labour Cabinet Secretary Dr Alfred Mutua said the government had worked to balance workers’ rights with the interests of the aviation sector.
He urged unions to exhaust negotiations before resorting to strikes, particularly in situations where essential services could be affected.
“I call upon all unions that before you go on a strike, before you start issuing strikes or going on a ghost law, come to my office. If there's a letter that you don't like from any government department, call me. Come to my office and we can get that letter withdrawn, new negotiations entered before you go on strike,” Mutua said.
Speaking during the briefing, Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir said the government and the union had reached agreements on issues surrounding agency fees, collective bargaining agreements, KAA and JamboJet.
Chirchir said three collective bargaining agreements that had been suspended since 2015 would be addressed under guidelines provided by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC).
He acknowledged the economic impact of the strike and apologised to affected travellers, promising an immediate restoration of aviation services.
“We have come to a very amicable though very hard negotiated position that has taken care of interest of all the parties concerned,” Chirchir said.
With these developments, flight operations are set to resume, a move expected to bring relief to stranded travellers affected by the industrial action
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