Matatu operators threaten strike over soaring fuel prices

Added: 2026-05-17

[00:00:00]and citizens.

[00:00:03]Well, key questions raised by a reporter right there, and they're not rhetoric.

[00:00:07]We need answers. We need action. But still on the aftershocks of the fuel price hike, and Kenyans could wake up on Monday to a paralysis following a planned strike over the soaring fuel prices. Matatu operators, taxi drivers, borehole drillers, and even other major fuel users are expected to suspend operations from midnight, saying they can no longer withstand the risk the rising operational costs with fares already skyrocketing by nearly 50% even as commuters will be forced to walk, and parents are panicking over school transport. This as pressure mounts on the government to actually act on the crisis and make sure it doesn't spiral out of control. Anne Musungu with the details.

[00:01:00]My transport disruption is looming after a sharp rise in petrol and diesel prices, triggering outrage across multiple sectors. Transport operators, borehole drillers, companies, and other heavy fuel users are an unhappy lot.

[00:01:15]Industry players say the fuel hike has pushed operational costs beyond sustainable levels, leaving many businesses on the verge of collapse.

[00:01:25]Leaders within the transport and drilling sector insist they will suspend services as from midnight until authorities engage them in meaningful negotiations, warning that continued silence could paralyze movement, trade, and essential services across affected regions. Till meaningful action is taken, transport operation shall remain suspended nationwide.

[00:01:51]There will be no movement in this country until this government listens to our cry. Commuters in several towns have already begun feeling the impact with many forced to walk manageable distances after public transport fares surged by nearly 50% overnight. Matatu operators and taxi drivers say the increase is unavoidable blaming soaring fuel costs for crippling daily operations and drastically reducing passengers number on key routes.

[00:02:30]As much as fuel price of fuel has gone up and you tell them to increase the price and they refuse. School going children are also expected to suffer heavily as transport costs continue to rise sharply. Thousands of learners who rely on daily pick up and drop off services now face uncertainty with parents struggling to absorb the sudden fare hikes amid growing fears that some students could miss classes if the crisis persists. And in a school setup in a school that does daily transport, the cost of the 21% increase will be felt not just in the transport sector but across every sector of the economy.

[00:03:11]Pressure is now mounting on government to urgently intervene before the situation spirals into a full-blown economic and social crisis. Anne Mumbi KTN, Nairobi.

[00:03:24]Even as we wait