A planned strike by flight crew at Kenya’s international airport has been postponed for two weeks to allow for dialogue, a spokesman said on Saturday.

Around 10,000 members of the Kenya Aviation Workers Union planned to go on strike from August 19 to protest against the government’s investment agreement with the Indian Adani Group to expand and operate the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi.

“After discussions, we have decided to postpone our strike for two weeks to give dialogue a chance,” said union general secretary Moss Ndiema, adding that a meeting with the transport ministry was planned for Tuesday.

The union had previously opposed the deal, claiming it was aimed at a secret privatisation of the airport. The strike is now set to begin on September 2 “unless the talks produce results,” Ndiema noted.

According to the proposal, Adani would invest $1.85 billion in expanding the airport and sign a 30-year operating contract. According to the Kenya Airport Authority (KAA), the plans include a second runway and an expansion of the passenger terminal.

The Kenyan government defends the deal by saying it is essential to the rehabilitation of JKIA, one of Africa’s busiest airports, which is frequently affected by power outages and leaky roofs. KAA said the deal will be subject to technical, financial and legal reviews and necessary procedures.

Last year, Adani Group’s market value was reduced by billions after a report by Hindenburg Research accused the conglomerate of corporate fraud. Gautam Adani, the founder and the world’s 12th richest person according to Bloomberg, has denied these allegations and called the report a “deliberate attempt” to damage the company’s reputation in favor of short sellers.

In the 2022/23 financial year, 8.8 million passengers and 380,000 tonnes of cargo were handled through the JKIA, according to KAA, contributing just over five percent to Kenya’s GDP.