MATAU STRIKE IS STILL ON: Wandayi says cheaper fuel may require higher kerosene prices

Added: 2026-05-19

[00:00:04]All right, thanks Esther Diana. As was hinted earlier by CSAI, the government is meeting stakeholders from the public transport sector in a bid to end this stalemate that has been brought forth by the increase in fuel prices. They have been engaged in a high level meeting for quite some time since around 5:00 p.m. I understand there's a little bit of progress. The energy cabinet secretary Pendai is currently speaking. Let's cross over and listen in.

[00:00:37]up to now uh between the Ministry of Transport and Roads, the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum, the National Treasury on the one hand and representatives of Associations of various public transport sector operators concerning the situation around the recently announced prices of petroleum products.

[00:01:34]The government of the Republic of Kenya regards the public transport sector as crucial to the functioning of the economy and therefore would not wish to see any form of disruption in that particular sector.

[00:02:05]even for a minute.

[00:02:10]So in an open engagement within a spirit of transparency, we have been able to listen keenly to the issues raised by the public transport sector players.

[00:02:38]And one of these issues was the matter of possible adulteration of diesel due to the huge disparity in the prices of diesel and petrol and keros and kerosin. Sorry.

[00:03:06]the disparities between the prices of diesel and kerosene as was announced by Apra on the 14th of May this year.

[00:03:23]We have come to understanding that for prudence purposes and to eliminate the risk of fail adulteration on account of this huge disparity and to save the motor vehicles that are operating. ing using diesel from possible malfunction as a result of possible adulteration.

[00:04:04]We are going to bridge the gap between the prices of diesel and petrol.

[00:04:17]And that would mean therefore that the price of kerosin would have to go higher as that of diesel comes lower to bridge that gap for the reasons I have stated that is the understanding we have come up In the course of this of these deliberations, details of those movements of prices are going to be published shortly by APRA as mandated by law.

[00:05:06]I must also add that EPA was fully involved in those deliberations and this common understanding has been arrived at unanimously.

[00:05:22]That is the end of the statement.

[00:05:32]>> Thank you very much.

[00:05:37]I cannot question.

[00:05:56]Yes, >> there are things we do not agree here >> and I believe Chuch with all due respect.

[00:06:11]We did say that we are going to communicate here clear and open that we have not agreed so that we carry this conversation forward and you did state that we may have tomorrow Tuesday we may have tomorrow Wednesday.

[00:06:29]>> Are we clear members?

[00:06:31]>> Yes.

[00:06:31]>> We did not agree in anything. They gave us 10 according to the what they are going to have a conversation with April and we did state 35 up to up to 30. That was the communication. With all due respect, we respect each one of us here.

[00:06:51]>> Yes. And that is what we want it to go out so that to our members and to the nation that we did not come here in anything or to set up anybody together with the government we are lawabiding citizens and we abide by the law. Thank you.

[00:07:12]>> Okay. Thank you very much. Thank you very much.

[00:07:16]>> The strike is still on.

[00:07:29]All right, live pictures right there from that just concluded high level meeting between government officials who include notably CS John Badi from the Treasury Ministry, the cabinet secretary for energy and transport CS Davis Chir who are meeting uh stakeholders from the public transport sector. It seems there conflicting reports and it's a good thing we aired the proceedings live.

[00:07:57]According to the stakeholders at the tail end of that particular uh press briefing, they say they haven't agreed on anything. The talks should resume tomorrow and the strike is still on. I understand the transport sector stakeholders are set to talk right after the energy CES convers. Let's listen in.

[00:08:19]be clear uh part of what was said we have agreed on the part of the adration >> on the part of the adotration we have agreed that the price of diesel and kerosene be at par but on the rest on the issue of the diesel prices that one we've not agreed and we have scheduled another meeting which could be tomorrow or the day after so in the meantime It is our request that all our drivers and owners of vehicles continue keeping their vehicles at home. No at their parking places. No disruption, no rioting as we await better engagements which will will save the economy. Thank you very much.

[00:09:13]>> Thank you. Thank you.

[00:09:14]>> Thank you.

[00:09:17]is still on.

[00:09:21]Okay.

[00:09:36]All our travelers, all our commuters, >> we are we adding all our commuters kindly to bear with us. We are fighting for them because we don't want to increase the price. The price has been very high.

[00:09:54]>> We are saying that uh >> okay >> we want to state that uh the strike is on tomorrow and it is proceed until we have a better negotiation with the government. uh because we have not leached to can consensus. We have been requesting to for them to reduce 46 cings and they have over 10 shillings.

[00:10:13]So they have said that they going they going to gazette that 10 shillings but uh we shall engage them further tomorrow and Wednesday so that we may fight that whereby we shall reach in a position whereby we shall have a consensus or we in agreement. So we are calling upon our commuters all our travelers to bear with us. We are fighting for them actually instead of increasing price of the transportation price. So we are fighting for our travelers. So we pray that they observe that they bear with us and they maintain peace and stay at their home.

[00:10:44]Thank you very much.

[00:11:02]Okay.

[00:11:04]Can we proceed?

[00:11:06]>> Okay. Good evening.

[00:11:08]My name is Albert Karaga. I'm the president of Matron Association and uh we know very well that uh the increment was there by fe April and they brought another one by May. We've not agreed on anything.

[00:11:25]Uh we know very well that the the ministry of energy they could do something to give us 46 which they are saying they don't have money. And what we are urging the government they have a lot of pockets where they can get this money and fund this 46 shillings. We are looking for because this is the money we are losing. We are we are paying our loans. We can't be able to pay our loans. Uh we have services which we are supposed to pay. We can't be able to pay. So what we are urging the government, we are urging the president that he must do something because the strike will continue until we are able to be to got a solution because we've not gotten any solution.

[00:12:06]>> Okay.

[00:12:09]>> And because at home >> nobody is going to block the road and the minister should not should not trialize that matter. It is not that simple. It's for everybody.

[00:12:18]>> Yes. Continue.

[00:12:42]All right, live pictures from the just concluded It's