Protests over fuel price hikes erupted in several Kenyan towns on Monday, including a nationwide public transport strike that stranded commuters and forced many people to walk to work.
The Transport Sector Alliance said on Sunday that vehicles affiliated with its member associations should stop operating from midnight in protest of the latest price increase, with police promising to tackle any disruptions.
Kenya’s Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority had raised retail fuel prices by as much as 23.5 per cent after hiking them by 24.2 per cent in April as the conflict in the Middle East squeezes global oil and gas supplies.
On Monday morning, roads into the capital Nairobi were blocked by striking transport operators and scattered groups of protesters.
Police fired tear gas in some areas while some protesters lit tyres to cut access to key roads, worsening congestion and leaving many commuters stranded.
In Mombasa, Kenya’s main port city, the strike raised fears of supply-chain delays.
Finance Minister, John Mbadi told the Citizen TV station that the finance and energy ministries hoped to meet public transport operators later on Monday to discuss a solution, noting that the current prices were already subsidised.
Kenya imports nearly all its fuel products from the Middle East via government-to-government deals with Gulf suppliers.
The fuel price hike has sharply raised transport fares and pushed up the cost of basic goods, deepening pressure on households already struggling with high cost of living.
Public Relations worker, Gabriel Odhiambo, 24, said his transport costs had doubled and that food prices had also risen.
He said that four pieces of tomatoes now cost 60 shillings (50 U.S. cents), a threefold increase.Kenya raised the pump price of super petrol in Nairobi to 214.25 Kenyan shillings ($1.66) a litre from 206.97, diesel to 242.92 shillings from 196.63 for the May 15 to June 14 cycle, while kerosene was unchanged at 152.78 shillings.
