This morning, activities at several Kenyan airports including the JKIA were brought to a standstill as striking aviation workers decided to down their tools.
PASSENGERS stranded at #JKIA as aviation workers begin strike over planned handover of management to Kenya Airways. pic.twitter.com/50LwBh74T3
— TheStarBreaking (@TheStarBreaking) March 6, 2019
At the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, no plane could take off or land as the boarding passes issuance area, security screening area and waiting area all remained empty with hundreds of passengers stranded outside.
Following the strike, the government, like it always does resulted to the harassment and intimidation card; sending General Service Unit officers to teargas the airport workers as stranded passengers stood and watched in disbelief.
The videos soon made it online and the international community watched as the nation yet again brought shame to itself thanks to mediocre decisions by mediocre persons in those positions of power.
Situation at #JKIA GSU anti-riot disrupts ongoing strike by Kenya Aviation Authority Workers Union
Kenya Airways pic.twitter.com/9sjWNeMdQ4
— Eric Kobia (@kobiariqs) March 6, 2019
Shortly after this “exercise” of clobbering and teargassing that left six workers seriously injured, Transport CS James Macharia announced that “normalcy” had resumed at the airport.
https://twitter.com/JamesMacharia_/status/1103190799100071937
Angry Kenyans, however, questioned the government’s sole way of always using violence to deal with such a crisis which only ends up showing how uncivilized we are as a nation.
Mr. @UKenyatta is a masterful thief and a corporate bottom-feeding junky. He was raised on all aspects of looting and tutored well by Jomo, Ngina and Moi. That's why he is currently orchestrating chaos at the JKIA so that he can bankrupt KAA before grabbing it cheap. #JKIA
— Dr. Miguna Miguna (@MigunaMiguna) March 6, 2019
With the media, opposition and the civil society bought or compromised, the Kenyan cartels and the mafia are in a hurry to cripple the country through brazen robberies and murders executed in chaos. Mr. @UKenyatta is the Commander-In-Chief of looters and murderers. #JKIA
— Dr. Miguna Miguna (@MigunaMiguna) March 6, 2019
If indeed evidence was needed that Muthamaki's PERSONAL interests are at stake at #JKIA, this is it. GSU are never deployed except to safeguard those interests. Beating up even foreign guests.#UshenziKE!#JKIAonlockdown pic.twitter.com/MAIbyUyZLu
— Mzalendo Halisi Foundation (@UtuNaUzalendoKE) March 6, 2019
Workers in Kenya are an exploited lot.
One day, we will no longer fear the police and their guns. That is the day Kenya will raise up #JKIA #JKIACrisis pic.twitter.com/bSNhveQiHC— Son of Kronos (@kimanikenneth) March 6, 2019
Cs macharia threatening to sack staffs for demanding for their rights this is a failed nation why pay foreigners more than our staffs are we still colonized 50 years after we gained our indipendence? What would our forefathers say if they can be alive today is shameful.#JKIA
— Boniface (@brianbonieh) March 6, 2019
Teargas at airport??? #JKIA For what? Embarrassment.
— ONESMUS,Is YEGON (@Bometpundit) March 6, 2019
https://twitter.com/SamGichuru/status/1103212185264762885
https://twitter.com/nairobishire/status/1103201024351895552
Has this government ever resolved any strike through dialogue? Why are they obsessed with police and teargas? #JKIA
— Demus (@kivuvademus) March 6, 2019
https://twitter.com/AgendaKE/status/1103185503153721344