NAKURU, Kenya- What is normally a noisy and crowded matatu terminus in Nakuru on Monday transformed into an improvised football pitch as traders and touts sought ways to pass time during the ongoing nationwide transport strike.
With matatus largely absent from the roads following the strike over soaring fuel prices, sections of the usually busy stage remained deserted for hours, creating an unusual calm in one of the Rift Valley city’s busiest transport hubs.
Young men, including touts and small-scale traders who depend on daily commuter traffic for survival, were seen playing football at the empty terminus as business activities slowed significantly.
The nationwide strike has paralysed transport operations in several towns and cities, disrupting public transport, taxi services, boda boda movement and cargo transportation.
Thousands of commuters across the country have been forced to walk long distances after operators withdrew services in protest against rising fuel costs.
Matatu operators announced the industrial action following the latest fuel price review by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA), which pushed diesel prices sharply higher. Operators argue that the increased fuel costs have made the transport business unsustainable.
The strike has affected major towns including Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, Eldoret and Kitengela, with several roads experiencing reduced traffic and transport paralysis.
In Nakuru, many commuters were stranded at bus stops early Monday as matatus failed to operate normally. Businesses that rely on passenger traffic also reported losses due to reduced movement within the town.
Similar scenes were witnessed across many other bus termini, including in Bomet.
Transport sector players, under the Transport Alliance, have demanded the withdrawal of the latest fuel price hike and accused authorities of failing to cushion Kenyans from the rising cost of living.
The unusual football match at the Nakuru terminus quickly captured public attention online, symbolising the extent of disruption caused by the strike and the economic uncertainty facing workers in the transport sector.
As the standoff between operators and the government continues, fears remain over prolonged disruption to movement, trade and essential services across the country.
