More than two dozen flights were cancelled and thousands of passengers stranded as pilots at Kenya Airways, one of Africa's biggest carriers, began a strike on Saturday, despite the government urging them to call it off.
The strike that began at 6am will affect thousands of business and leisure travellers at one of Africa's most important aviation hubs.
The Kenya Airline Pilots Association (Kalpa) said the carrier's management declined to listen to their proposals on how to resolve their grievances.
"No KQ [Kenya Airways] aircraft has departed Jomo Kenyatta International Airport flown by a Kalpa member from 6am this morning," the union said. "The strike is fully in force."
The national carrier's chief executive officer Allan Kilavuka said pilots had been issued a 24-hour return-to-work ultimatum, after which they will be considered to have absconded from duty.
About 9,000 passengers have been affected so far, he said.
Before the action, the company had called the planned strike unlawful and warned it could jeopardise its recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, saying it could lose at least 300 million shillings ($2.5m) a day.
A stranded passenger at the airport in the capital Nairobi, who identified himself as Lawrence, said he had arrived at 5am to take a flight to Johannesburg in South Africa but "unfortunately they've just told me that it's cancelled due to the strike".
Other passengers told Reuters early on Saturday that the previous night was chaotic as travellers sought to travel before the strike began. Hundreds of passengers who had arrived in transit were trapped inside the airport as their connecting flights failed to take off, they said.
The pilots union said it would call a strike over a dispute on pension contributions and settlement of deferred pay for its members after a 14-day notice had passed without the airline's management addressing their grievances.
In last-minute talks to avert a strike, Transport Minister Kipchumba Murkomen issued a plea to the pilots union not to go ahead with the industrial action.
Kenya Airways carried more than 8,000 passengers daily in the first half of this year, according to the airline.
— With reporting from Reuters and Bloomberg.
Why seagrass matters
- Carbon sink: Seagrass sequesters carbon up to 35X faster than tropical rainforests
- Marine nursery: Crucial habitat for juvenile fish, crustations, and invertebrates
- Biodiversity: Support species like sea turtles, dugongs, and seabirds
- Coastal protection: Reduce erosion and improve water quality
Company profile
Date started: December 24, 2018
Founders: Omer Gurel, chief executive and co-founder and Edebali Sener, co-founder and chief technology officer
Based: Dubai Media City
Number of employees: 42 (34 in Dubai and a tech team of eight in Ankara, Turkey)
Sector: ConsumerTech and FinTech
Cashflow: Almost $1 million a year
Funding: Series A funding of $2.5m with Series B plans for May 2020
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
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More coverage from the Future Forum
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
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Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4
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Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Xpanceo
Started: 2018
Founders: Roman Axelrod, Valentyn Volkov
Based: Dubai, UAE
Industry: Smart contact lenses, augmented/virtual reality
Funding: $40 million
Investor: Opportunity Venture (Asia)
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Muslim Council of Elders condemns terrorism on religious sites
The Muslim Council of Elders has strongly condemned the criminal attacks on religious sites in Britain.
It firmly rejected “acts of terrorism, which constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of houses of worship”.
“Attacking places of worship is a form of terrorism and extremism that threatens peace and stability within societies,” it said.
The council also warned against the rise of hate speech, racism, extremism and Islamophobia. It urged the international community to join efforts to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.
