The Milimani Court has ordered striking Kenya Airways pilots to resume work tomorrow Wednesday, November 9 by 6 am unconditional.
Employment and Labour Relations Court Judge Anna Mwaure gave the orders.
“I'm aware there is a grave industrial dispute here but a country exists because its subjects obey the law,” Justice Anna Mwaure said as she read her orders.
The orders followed hours of deliberations between the airline and the pilots that yielded no fruits.
The Kenya Airlines and Pilots Association, the 388-member strong of the pilots, had been summoned to show cause why it should not be punished for disobeying a court order.
The October 31 order issued by Justice James Rika required pilots to halt their strike.
However, Kalpa commenced its work boycott on Saturday, November 4 leading to the grounding of several planes that left thousands of passengers stranded.
On Monday, Kenya Airways commenced contempt of court proceedings against 11 Kalpa officials leading to their summoning in court.
In their argument, the pilots asked for seven days to file responses on the matter.
But the judge demanded that a solution be found in the meantime.
"I can give you the seven days you are asking for but what will happen to the grounded planes? Will you resume work in the meantime because the country is losing and the economy hurting? the judge posed.
A tense moment ensued and the judge asked that the parties dialogue for a solution.
She retreated with them in her chamber to broker a temporary deal but returned to announce the court had allowed the parties to talk and report back later in the afternoon on progress made.
Mwaure said the country was making losses and it was prudent a solution is sought as the two protagonists argue their case in court.
Eleven officials of the Kenya Airline Pilots Association were summoned to court to show cause why they should not be punished for contempt after commencing the strike on Saturday despite a court order stopping the strike.
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