No deal: Matatu strike to continue as govt, operators fail to agree on fuel price cuts

The government and matatu operators have failed to reach an agreement on fuel price adjustments after closed-door talks on diesel cuts and kerosene parity.

Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi said both sides agreed on measures to curb fuel adulteration and supported aligning diesel and kerosene prices but remained divided on reducing diesel prices.

Kushian Muchiri, chief executive officer of the Federation of Public Transport Sector (FPTS), said operators backed fuel adulteration controls and parity between diesel and kerosene but rejected diesel price cuts. He said the strike will continue on Tuesday.

The talks followed between Wandayi, Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir and matatu operators on Monday, May 18, 2026.

The nationwide matatu strike on Monday, May 18, 2026, crippled public transport across Kenya and left thousands of commuters stranded in Nairobi, Mombasa, Nakuru, Eldoret, Kisii and Nyeri.

Commuters walked long distances to work, and school, as major Savings and Credit Cooperative Organisations (SACCOs) stayed off the roads, while boda bodas and private vehicles charged higher fares, in some cases tripling normal rates.

In Nakuru, operators turned an empty matatu terminus into an impromptu football pitch as unrest spread across towns.

Interior Cabinet Secretary (CS) said four people were killed, 30 injured and 348 arrested during protests linked to the strike. Police deployed heavily in Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD) and removed registration plates from matatus parked to block highways.

Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi said the strike was uncalled for, saying the government had already absorbed fuel cost pressures.

The Transport Sector Alliance (TSA) later called off the strike and agreed to resume operations on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, pending further negotiations on fuel and insurance grievances.

Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) will publish revised fuel pricing details after consultations conclude. A fresh meeting has been scheduled to resolve outstanding issues.