At least four people have been killed in Kenya after fuel price protests and a nationwide public transport strike disrupted movement across major cities.
The strike kept many matatus off the road, stranded commuters and blocked key routes in Nairobi, Mombasa and other towns. The unrest followed sharp fuel price increases linked to global supply pressure from the Iran war. Diesel rose sharply, pushing up transport fares and adding more pressure on households already dealing with higher living costs.
Why Kenya’s Fuel Protest Is Turning Into More Than A Commuter Crisis
Kenya’s public transport strike started after the Transport Sector Alliance said vehicles under its member groups would stop operating from midnight on Monday. By morning, roads into Nairobi had been blocked by striking operators and protesters, with demonstrators also lighting tyres on fire across major routes.
The unrest also affected Mombasa, Nakuru, Eldoret and Nyeri. In some areas, schools closed, businesses shut early and commuters were left with few transport options.
Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen said four people were killed during the violence, while more than 30 others were injured. Authorities have not yet given full details on how the deaths happened.
The strike came after Kenya’s Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority raised fuel prices for the May 15 to June 14 cycle. In Nairobi, super petrol rose from 206.97 Kenyan shillings per litre to 214.25. Diesel moved from 196.63 shillings to 242.92, while kerosene stayed at 152.78 shillings.
Officials blamed the increase on global oil and gas supply pressure caused by the conflict in the Middle East. Kenya imports almost all its fuel from the Middle East, which makes local prices more exposed when international supply is affected.
The higher fuel prices have already pushed up transport fares and the cost of basic goods. Government officials said fuel prices were already subsidised, but transport operators rejected the relief offered after talks with energy and transport officials.
Their representatives said the strike would continue unless the government made deeper cuts. The disruption has also raised concern in Mombasa, Kenya’s main port city, where delays could affect supply chains.
New EV Policies May Test Kenya’s Clean Transport Growth
In addition, recent policies in Kenya do not look immediately favourable for the country’s growing EV market.
Kenya has become one of Africa’s strongest electric mobility markets, especially for two-wheelers. Electric motorcycles have grown quickly because riders want cheaper running costs, fuel prices are high and the country had earlier policies that made EV adoption easier.
Now, the proposed 16% VAT on electric vehicles, lithium-ion batteries and electric bicycles could make that growth harder to sustain. Many EV companies in Kenya still depend on imported bikes, batteries and charging parts, so higher taxes may raise costs for operators, riders and customers.
The move also comes as Kenya is reviewing how much it depends on imported EV products. While the tax may slow adoption in the short term, it leans to a bigger goal of building more local EV production and reducing reliance on other countries.
That makes Kenya’s next step important. The country is trying to grow clean transport while testing how much of its EV industry can be built locally, even if that shift costs more at first.
