Kenyan public transport operators call off strike after President vows to reduce fuel prices

Key points

• Kenya's public transport operators on Friday (May 22, 2026) called off a nationwide strike that had been suspended for a week to allow talks over rising fuel prices.
• The strike 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.
• The operators met with President William Kipchirchir Samoei Arap Rutoon, CGH, on Friday (May 22, 2026), and announced that the strike would not resume after he pledged that diesel prices would be reduced in the upcoming monthly fuel price review in June.
• Ruto rejected proposals to lower fuel taxes, arguing that reducing Value-Added Tax (VAT) on fuel from 16% to 8% had already caused significant revenue losses and that any further cuts would undermine the delivery of government services.
• Earlier in the week, thousands of protesters took to the...