By Magdalene Mukami and Andrew Wasike</p> <p>NAIROBI, Kenya (AA) – Thousands of travelers were stranded in Nairobi’s international airport on Wednesday after the workers went on a strike over the proposed takeover of the airport management in Kenya, East Africa.</p> <p>The Jomo Kenyatta International Airport said in a statement that no planes landed at the Africa's fourth busiest airport since Tuesday midnight when the protest started.</p> <p>The Kenya Airways, the national flag carrier, asked its passengers to not come to the airport for flights after 11 a.m. [Wednesday] until further notice.</p> <p>On Wednesday, Kenya Aviation Workers Union (KAWU) issued a strike notice over the proposed management of the airport by merging Kenya Airways and Kenya Airports Authority.</p> <p>The move rose fear among a group of workers for losing job.</p> <p>Speaking to the journalists at the airport, Kenya’s Transport Minister James Macharia termed the strike as malicious and illegal.</p> <p>At least five KAWU officials were arrested, while some workers waving placards and chanting slogans were injured when dispersed by anti-riot police, he said.</p> <p>The operations at the airport are set to be normalized in the coming hours with the Kenya Airforce, Macharia added.</p> <p>Set to travelling to London, James Kibet complained to Anadolu Agency over the inconvenience: “I am not sure if they will compensate me for my connecting flights. The ripple effect will spread all across the world.” </p> <p>Marco Flavio, who was scheduled for an Italy flight, also lamented the delays.</p> <p>“I was heading to Italy and my wife was going to Mumbai, I am already late for a new job interview, these people won't understand that Kenyans were on strike, I am so sad and upset.”
Most domestic flights have also been canceled following the strike.
