GITHURAI, Kenya – A personal vehicle was torched on Monday, May 18, along Thika Superhighway in Githurai after being targeted by an angry mob during protests over increased fuel prices.
The incident unfolded amid a nationwide matatu and public transport strike that paralyzed major commuting routes across Nairobi and surrounding counties.
The black Mazda was quickly engulfed in flames and reduced to ashes with a thick smoke billowing into the air.
The circumstances surrounding how the car caught fire were not immediately clear, and authorities did not confirm whether the vehicle was deliberately torched, caught in protest-related unrest, or abandoned before the blaze.
The arson came amid heightened tensions in Githurai and neighbouring sections of Thika Road, where sections of protesters barricaded roads, disrupted traffic, and engaged police in confrontations as anger over increased fuel prices spilled onto the streets.
Public transport operators had warned private motorists to stay off the roads, heightening tensions against those attempting to bypass the blockades.
Elsewhere, protesters lit bonfires and mounted blockades in Ruiru, Witeithie, and parts of Kitengela in continued demonstrations over fuel prices and transport grievances.
