Kenya’s public transport system ground to a halt on Monday as protesters barricaded roads and matatu drivers went on strike over government-imposed fuel price hikes linked to the Middle East conflict.
Kenya’s public transport system was paralysed on Monday after protesters barricaded roads and transport workers struck over rising fuel prices, according to RFI.
The strike follows the Kenyan government announcing a 23.5-percent diesel price hike, triggered by Iran’s effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, disrupting global oil supply.
“They do not want to listen to the citizens when we say the prices are too high,” 22-year-old Alex Koome Mwenda told AFP.
According to RFI, protests spread beyond Nairobi to Mombasa, Nakuru, Eldoret and Nyeri, leaving thousands of commuters stranded nationwide.
Treasury minister John Mbadi defended the increases, stating: “This is a war that we have not caused.”
Economist XN Iraki warned the disruption could cost Kenya around 50 billion shillings ($390 million), adding: “The price of fuel has gone up to an unsustainable level, with a ripple effect on the economy.”
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