NAIROBI, Kenya, May 19 — Transport sector leaders who dramatically rejected the government’s fuel deal on Monday have now agreed to suspend the nationwide matatu strike for one week to allow fresh negotiations aimed at resolving the standoff over soaring diesel prices.
Leading the shift in tone was transport stakeholder representative Kennedy Kaunda, who had publicly contradicted Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi during chaotic scenes at Transcom House on Monday night, after the government prematurely announced a breakthrough in talks.
On Tuesday, however, Kaunda confirmed that transport operators had agreed to temporarily suspend the strike and give negotiations another chance.
“With all due respect, and the respect that we have been given today here, we want to extend that respect to the media and to the nation,” Kaunda said.
“What we have agreed here is that the strike has been suspended.”
Kaunda, who is Group CEO of the Tourist Guide Association, added that operators remained prepared to resume industrial action if talks fail to produce a meaningful outcome within seven days.
“Since we have suspended the strike to give room for negotiation, and if we are not able to agree, we’ll come back for the same,” he warned.
Fresh talks
The breakthrough followed a fresh round of high-level consultations between government officials and public transport leaders after Monday’s tense fallout, where matatu operators openly rejected Wandayi’s claim that an agreement had already been reached.
During the Monday night briefing, operators accused the government of misrepresenting the outcome, insisting that the Sh10 reduction in diesel prices fell far short of their demand for a Sh30 to Sh46 per litre cut.
The disagreement triggered chaotic scenes as government officials exited the press conference while transport leaders remained behind to dispute the announcement before television cameras.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen said the government had agreed to continue negotiations while implementing immediate measures to cushion operators and consumers from rising fuel costs.
“The government last night took additional measures to remedy the situation by reducing the price of diesel by Sh10 per litre,” Murkomen said.
He also defended the government’s controversial decision to increase kerosene prices, arguing that it was necessary to narrow the price gap with diesel and curb fuel adulteration.
“The government also took steps to rationalize the prices of kerosene and diesel by increasing the price of kerosene by Sh38 to avoid adulteration as requested by stakeholders in the transport sector,” he said.
Sh46 cut
Despite the relief measures, Murkomen acknowledged that operators were still demanding a deeper reduction in diesel prices.
“Understandably, the stakeholders in the public transport sector had requested a reduction of Sh46 and they are still agitating for further reduction despite the Sh10 reduction,” he said.
Federation of Public Transport Sector CEO Kushian Muchiri, speaking on behalf of the Federation of Public Transport Sector, said operators agreed to the temporary truce after the government showed renewed commitment to engagement.
“As much as we would have been happy to say that we got the 46 shillings that we were seeking, we are also glad that negotiations have started in earnest,” Muchiri said.
He urged drivers and conductors to resume operations immediately to restore normal transport services nationwide.
Matatu Owners Association president Albert Karagacha, representing the Matatu Owners Association, said both sides had agreed to establish a joint committee to address broader challenges in the PSV sector, including insurance costs, traffic enforcement, and corruption.
The nationwide shutdown had paralysed transport in Nairobi and several other towns, leaving commuters stranded and disrupting economic activity as tensions escalated over fuel prices and the rising cost of living.
