At least four people were killed and more than 30 injured as protests and a crippling public transport strike swept cities across Kenya on Monday. The unrest was sparked by steep fuel price rises that officials link to supply disruptions from the Gulf and tensions surrounding the Iran war.
Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen told a televised briefing that ‘we lost four Kenyans in today’s violence,’ and that more than 30 people were injured. The Transport Sector Alliance had announced on Sunday that vehicles belonging to its member associations would stop operating from midnight in protest at the latest round of price increases.
Last week the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority raised retail fuel prices by 23.5%, following a 24.2% increase the month before. Kenya imports almost all of its fuel, largely through government-to-government arrangements with Gulf suppliers. Those supplies have been squeezed by disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz since late February, when attacks tied to the widening Iran conflict forced closures and constrained flows that in peacetime carried a significant share of the world’s oil.
The strike and protests left commuters stranded across Nairobi and other urban centres. Protesters blocked roads by burning tires and staged demonstrations in Mombasa, Nakuru, Eldoret, Nyeri and other towns. Police fired tear gas in parts of the capital. Schools closed, events were canceled and many people were forced to work from home as traffic ground to a halt. ‘They do not want to listen to the citizens when we say the prices are too high,’ 22-year-old commuter Alex Koome Mwenda told reporters.
The disruption raised particular alarm in Mombasa, Kenya’s main port, where a prolonged strike could exacerbate supply-chain delays and push up the cost of imported goods.
Government ministers acknowledged the inflationary shock while criticising the strike. Treasury and Economic Planning Minister John Mbadi described the stoppage as ‘completely uncalled for’ and said the government was not responsible for the external shock driving prices. He said officials in the Finance and Energy ministries planned to meet transport operators to seek a resolution and noted that current pump prices already included some subsidy.
Critics say the authorities could ease the burden by cutting fuel taxes, but Nairobi relies on fuel levies to service high public debt and to finance a stretched budget. The recent price increases have translated into higher transport fares and rising costs for basic goods, deepening pressure on households — about a third of Kenya’s roughly 50 million people still live in poverty.
The energy regulator said the government had allocated about $38.5 million to cushion consumers from soaring diesel and kerosene prices in its latest review. Talks between ministers and transport operators were expected to continue as authorities sought to restore order and move toward a negotiated settlement.