Four people were killed during protests over rising fuel prices in several towns across Kenya on Monday, while a nationwide public transport strike left thousands of commuters stranded.
Kenya’s Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen said more than 30 people were also injured during the unrest, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
The protests erupted after the country’s Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority sharply increased retail fuel prices for the second consecutive month, citing pressure on global oil and gas supplies caused by the conflict in the Middle East.
The Transport Sector Alliance announced that vehicles linked to its member associations would stop operating from midnight in protest against the hikes. On Monday morning, roads leading into the capital Nairobi were blocked by striking transport operators and groups of demonstrators.
Police used tear gas in several areas as some protesters burned tyres and blocked major roads, worsening traffic congestion and disrupting daily travel across the city. In Mombasa, Kenya’s main port city, concerns grew over possible supply-chain delays caused by the strike.
Finance Minister John Mbadi said earlier in the day that current fuel prices were already being subsidised by the government. However, late-night talks between government ministers and public transport operators failed to produce a breakthrough.
Albert Karakacha, chairman of the public service vehicles owners’ association, said the strike would continue despite a government proposal to bridge the price gap between diesel and kerosene.
Kenya imports nearly all of its fuel from Middle Eastern suppliers through government agreements with Gulf countries. The latest fuel increases have sharply raised transport fares and the cost of basic goods, adding pressure on households already struggling with the rising cost of living.
In Nairobi, the pump price of super petrol rose to 214.25 Kenyan shillings per litre, while diesel increased to 242.92 shillings for the May 15 to June 14 pricing cycle.
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