Kenya Suspends Nationwide Fuel Strike for One Week

Kenyan officials and transport sector stakeholders agreed to suspend a nationwide fuel strike for one week after high-level negotiations over rising diesel prices. The agreement was announced Tuesday following consultations between government officials and transport leaders. It came one day after matatu operators publicly rejected earlier reports that a deal had already been reached.

A government official said the suspension would allow further talks on fuel pricing and broader concerns in the public transport sector. The official noted that the government had already reduced VAT on petroleum products by eight percent and used the Petroleum Development Levy to stabilise fuel prices.

The same official stated that the government had taken additional measures by reducing the price of diesel by Sh10 per litre. Both parties agreed to suspend the strike until May 26 to allow fresh talks.

A representative of the Transport Sector

Alliance said operators were giving dialogue a chance despite dissatisfaction with the current diesel price reduction. The representative warned that the strike would resume if the issues were not addressed within the seven-day period. The Federation of Public Transport Sector CEO said operators were glad that negotiations had started in earnest.