Massive fuel strike halts transport services across Kenya

Commuters across major cities in Kenya were left stranded on Monday morning following a nationwide transport strike over rising fuel prices, forcing many workers to walk kilometers to their destinations, while others opted to work from home as transport operators halted services.

Schools, especially in the capital Nairobi, remained closed, while many businesses in the city's central business district kept their doors shut as the strike disrupted transport services. The chaos intensified as youths blocked sections of major roads across the city, further worsening the situation and leaving thousands of commuters stranded.

The coordinated industrial action – one of the largest in Kenya's history – was organized by the Transport Sector Alliance and involved passenger transport operators, cargo and logistics companies, ride-hailing services, motorcycle taxis, tourism transport providers, driving schools, school buses and private motorists.

In a joint statement issued on Sunday, the alliance demanded standardization of all petroleum product prices at the current kerosene price of $1.18 per liter, and for reduction of petrol and diesel prices to about $1.17 per liter in the short term.

In addition, the alliance urged the government to restore a competitive free-market fuel procurement system to replace the current government-to-government arrangement.

The alliance said Kenyans should not continue paying some of the highest fuel prices in East Africa while countries such as Ethiopia - despite being landlocked - maintain significantly lower prices at the pump for its citizens.

edithmutethya@chinadaily.com.cn