NAIROBI, Kenya- Kenya is bracing for a major transport shutdown on Monday after players in the transport industry confirmed a nationwide strike over soaring fuel prices and the rising cost of living.
In a joint statement issued on Sunday evening, the Transport Sector Alliance announced that no vehicle would operate from midnight, signalling what could become one of the largest coordinated industrial actions in the country’s history.
The alliance said all transport subsectors had unanimously agreed to participate in the strike, including passenger service vehicles, cargo transporters, logistics firms, boda boda riders, ride-hailing drivers, school buses, tourism transport operators, driving schools and private motorists.
“Following today’s high-level consultative meeting, all stakeholders in Kenya’s transport sector have unanimously reaffirmed that no vehicle will move starting midnight today,” the statement read.
The group described the protests as a national movement against the economic burden caused by escalating fuel prices, saying ordinary Kenyans were bearing the heaviest impact through increased transport fares, food prices, electricity costs and commodity prices.
“This action is not only for transport operators, but for every Kenyan citizen. The ordinary mwananchi is the ultimate victim of high fuel prices,” the alliance stated.
The transporters claimed the industrial action had already attracted support from farmers, traders, workers and consumers across the country, with demonstrations expected in towns, shopping centres and local communities.
The alliance further argued that Kenya’s fuel prices remain among the highest in the region despite the country’s economic challenges.
“Kenya should not continue paying some of the highest fuel prices in the region while countries such as Ethiopia, despite being landlocked, maintain significantly lower pump prices,” the statement added.
The strike comes days after the latest fuel review by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority pushed pump prices sharply higher, triggering nationwide outrage.
Under the latest prices, super petrol in Nairobi rose to more than Sh214 per litre while diesel climbed above Sh242 per litre, sparking criticism from transport operators and consumers already struggling with the high cost of living.
The alliance urged private motorists to join the protests, warning that silence would amount to accepting unaffordable fuel prices and a shrinking economy.
“This is a peaceful, constitutional action intended to compel the Government to listen to the voice of transporters and ordinary citizens,” the statement said.
The looming strike has already caused anxiety across the country, with some private schools advising parents not to take learners back to school on Monday due to fears of transport disruption and possible protests.
Businesses and commuters are also expected to face major disruptions should the nationwide shutdown proceed as planned.
