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Kenya's public transport operators have called off a nationwide strike after President William Kipchirchir Samoei Arap Ruto pledged measures to reduce fuel prices amid rising economic pressure, The Hindu — World reported. The strike, which had been suspended for a week to allow talks, was officially called off on Friday (May 22, 2026) following a meeting between operators and the President.

The decision has not been without controversy. The Motorists Association of Kenya has accused some transport sector leaders of betraying the planned strike by engaging in secret negotiations with the government and calling off the protests without consulting other stakeholders, as reported by AllAfrica.

Coverage Comparison

Reporting on the strike's cancellation differs in emphasis between the two outlets that covered the story. The Hindu — World focused on the President's pledge and the sequence of events, noting that the operators met with Mr. Ruto and announced the strike would not resume after he promised diesel prices would be reduced in the upcoming monthly fuel price review in June. The report also detailed the previous week's protests, during which four people were killed and more than 30 others injured after police fired live ammunition at demonstrators.

AllAfrica, by contrast, centered its coverage on the criticism from the Motorists Association of Kenya. The outlet reported the association's strongly worded statement, which alleged that some transport leaders "went behind the backs of everyone else" and held covert meetings with government officials, including Cabinet Secretaries and the Governor of Nairobi. The association argued that the agreed reduction in diesel prices failed to address broader concerns affecting motorists and transport operators.

Key Claims

  • Public transport operators in Kenya called off a planned strike after President William Kipchirchir Samoei Arap Ruto pledged measures to reduce fuel prices amid rising economic pressure, as reported by The Hindu — World.
  • The strike, held on Monday (May 18, 2026) and Tuesday (May 19, 2026), triggered protests in which four people were killed and more than 30 others injured after police fired live ammunition at demonstrators, according to the same report.
  • The operators met with the President on Friday (May 22, 2026), after which they announced that the strike would not resume. Mr. Ruto pledged that diesel prices would be reduced in the upcoming monthly fuel price review in June, as stated by The Hindu — World.
  • Mr. Ruto rejected proposals to lower fuel taxes, arguing that reducing Value-Added Tax on fuel from 16% to 8% had already caused significant revenue losses and that further cuts would undermine government services, according to The Hindu — World.
  • The Motorists Association of Kenya accused some transport sector leaders of engaging in secret negotiations with the government and calling off the protests without consulting other stakeholders, as reported by AllAfrica.
  • The association criticized the agreed reduction in diesel prices as insufficient, stating that while the strike had been organized to address a cumulative fuel increase of up to KSh 76 per litre affecting diesel, super petrol, and kerosene, the leaders returned with a mere KSh 10 reduction on diesel only. "This was not a victory. It was a surrender," the association said, according to AllAfrica.

Perspectives

Motorists Association of Kenya

The Motorists Association of Kenya condemned the cancellation of the strike, accusing some transport sector leaders of betraying the planned protests. The association alleged that a few familiar actors held covert meetings with government officials, violating agreements that required any engagement with the government to involve the entire alliance. It described the diesel price reduction as a "surrender" and accused some leaders of hijacking the movement for personal gain and media attention.

President William Ruto and transport operators

President Ruto pledged to reduce diesel prices in the upcoming monthly fuel review, a move that led transport operators to call off the strike. The President rejected proposals to lower fuel taxes, citing revenue losses from previous VAT reductions. The operators, who had suspended the strike earlier to allow talks, agreed to the President's proposal and announced the strike would not resume.