NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) – Protests erupted across Kenya's capital, Nairobi, on Monday as a nationwide public transport strike commenced in response to soaring fuel prices. The unrest led to significant disruptions, with commuters stranded in numerous suburbs while the city center remained largely deserted. Many motorists with private vehicles opted to stay home, avoiding the chaos that ensued as protesters burned tires on major thoroughfares.
The Kenya Association of Private Schools took proactive measures by advising its members to evaluate the safety of students traveling to school. As a result, many schools decided to transition to online learning to ensure the safety of their learners amid the turmoil.
Fuel prices in Kenya reached an unprecedented high on Friday, with diesel prices escalating by 23.5% and petrol prices increasing by 8%. This dramatic surge has raised concerns about the overall cost of living, as the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry highlighted that these price hikes will impact all commodities and services across the nation.
President William Ruto, currently out of the country, has not yet commented on the new prices. In a previous price review conducted in April, he attributed an earlier spike in fuel costs to the conflict in Iran, although he took measures to reduce taxes in an effort to mitigate a significant increase at that time.
In a statement released on Friday, the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry noted that while global crude oil prices had seen an approximate increase of 10.7%, the price of diesel in Kenya had surged by over twice that rate, evidencing a persistent issue of domestic cost accumulation this year. “The April–May comparison shows that while global crude oil prices increased by about 10.7%, Kenya’s diesel price rose by 23.5% over the same period. This points to the continued role of domestic cost buildup,” the chamber stated.
In response to the crisis, former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, who transitioned to the opposition after his impeachment, blamed the dramatic price increase on corrupt individuals in the business sector seeking to boost their profit margins at the expense of consumers. He further emphasized the disparity between fuel prices in Kenya and those in neighboring landlocked countries, such as Uganda, which rely on Kenyan ports for fuel imports yet enjoy lower prices.
Kenya serves as a crucial transport hub for businesses importing goods through the port of Mombasa. The ongoing protests and fuel price hikes pose significant challenges not only to commuters but also to the economy, with the potential for widespread effects across various sectors as the situation evolves.
