Protesters Light Bonfires During Public Transport Strike in Kenya Over Fuel Prices

Protests have erupted in Nairobi as a nationwide public transport strike begins over rising fuel prices

AP May 18, 2026 

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Protests erupted in Kenya’s capital Nairobi Monday as a nationwide public transport strike kicked off in protest at rising fuel prices.

Commuters were stranded in various suburbs and the city center remained deserted. Drivers with private vehicles opted to stay home as protesters burned tires on major roads.

The Kenya Association of Private Schools had advised its members to assess the safety of students going to school, and most schools opted for online learning.

Kenya’s fuel prices hit a record high on Friday with the diesel price increasing by 23.5% and gasoline by 8%.

President William Ruto, who has been out of the country, is yet to comment on the new prices. In the last price review in April he attributed it to the Iran war but reduced the taxes to prevent a sharp increase in price at the time.

The Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Friday said the increased prices would affect all commodities and services in the country.

“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 of commerce said in a statement.

Former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua, who joined the opposition after his impeachment in October 2024 over corruption, blamed the sharp rise on corrupt businesspeople who want to increase their profit margins.

He compared the fuel prices to those in neighboring landlocked countries that rely on Kenyan ports for importation of fuel, such as Uganda, where prices are lower.

Kenya serves as a major transport hub for businesspeople importing goods through the port of Mombasa to be ferried by road.