A transport strike in Kenya, triggered by rising fuel prices linked to the Middle East conflict, was paused on Tuesday following a consultative meeting between industry stakeholders and the government. The halt comes after the unrest left four people dead and caused widespread economic disruption.
The pause, agreed upon during a Tuesday morning meeting, has brought a one-week suspension to the daily strike. Discussions are expected to continue in the coming days as both sides seek to reach a consensus on the issue of higher fuel prices.
“The government can work on, let me say, reduce the cost of living as per very Kenyans who are really suffering because of the high cost of living,” one stakeholder noted during the proceedings.
At least four people died during the protests, which turned violent and brought several towns, including the capital Nairobi, to a standstill. Numerous businesses were shut down as operations ground to a halt.
Public opinion on the strike remains divided. One local resident opposed the action, stating, “No, I don’t support strike. I don’t support it because our economy is too low. It’s too low for this two to two days. So I don’t support any strike to be here.”
Another dismissed the protests, saying, “I think they’re just being petty. It’s not only in Kenya that there is a problem, even in Europe. So they’re just being petty. They’re just wasting our time and resources, you see, and by the end of the day life must continue.”
Kenya has hiked petrol prices by 20% and diesel by nearly 50% since Iran disrupted traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s oil normally passes. A Kenyan rights group has vocally denounced the use of lethal force by law enforcement during the demonstrations.
Treasury and Economic Planning Minister John Mbadi said the strike was “completely uncalled for.” Potential for further unrest remains high as the country awaits the full resumption of operations.
