Workers at Amazing Discent Transporters (ADT), a transport company operating at Mombasa International Airport have raised serious concerns over alleged labor violations, including the lack of formal employment contracts, salary withholding, and unlawful dismissals. Despite playing a crucial role in providing transport services to Kenya Airways, Swissport, Jambo Jet staff, and Tradewinds Aviation, ADT employees claim the company operates without adhering to Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) regulations or basic labor standards.
Employees report being denied formal employment agreements, leaving them vulnerable to exploitation and abrupt dismissal. Many claim they are terminated after working for 30 days without receiving their salaries. Communication between management and workers is reportedly conducted exclusively through a WhatsApp group, which is abruptly terminated upon dismissal, cutting off any further dialogue.
In one particularly egregious case, workers who had completed a full month’s work were allegedly denied their salary of Ksh 20,000. Instead, Mr. Biko reportedly demanded reimbursements totaling Ksh 19,000, citing dubious expenses, including Ksh 10,000 for cash bail, Ksh 7,000 for vehicle breakdown costs—despite the van being under police custody—and Ksh 2,000 for a missing duty phone. Workers say these deductions were made without receipts or any form of documentation, leaving them both frustrated and unpaid.
The alleged practices at ADT appear to violate Kenya’s Employment Act of 2007, which mandates clear employment agreements, timely and fair salary payments, and protections against forced labor and workplace harassment. The law also specifies that casual employees who work for more than a month or perform tasks lasting over three months must be transitioned to term contracts and provided with proper notice upon termination.
The workers are now calling on the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA), the Ministry of Labour, labor rights organizations, and activists to intervene. They are demanding accountability from ADT and immediate compensation for unpaid wages.
The unfolding situation at Mombasa International Airport underscores a larger issue: the urgent need for stronger enforcement of labor laws to protect vulnerable workers and ensure fair employment practices in Kenya’s critical transport sector.
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