Former Law Society of Kenya president Faith Odhiambo has warned that soaring fuel prices and the ongoing nationwide transport shutdown risk paralysing the economy and plunging millions of Kenyans into deeper financial distress if urgent interventions are not made.
In a statement issued Monday amid widespread disruption caused by the nationwide matatu strike, Odhiambo said the fuel crisis was rapidly evolving into a broader social and economic emergency affecting households, businesses and access to essential services.
“Fuel is the backbone of movement, trade and access to services which keeps our economy active and fluid. When its price spikes, the effect is immediate,” she said.
“Transport costs rise. Food prices follow. Small businesses struggle to stay afloat. Essential services become harder to access.”
Her remarks came as thousands of commuters across Nairobi and other towns were forced to walk long distances to work after matatus stayed off the roads in protest against the latest fuel price hike announced by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (Epra).
The strike, organised by the Transport Sector Alliance, brought together matatu operators, cargo transporters, ride-hailing drivers, motorcycle operators and private motorists in what organisers described as one of the country’s largest coordinated industrial actions.
In many parts of Nairobi, commuters were stranded at bus stages from dawn opted to walk for kilometres to workplaces after failing to secure transport.
On routes where a few vehicles remained operational, fares nearly doubled, further straining workers already grappling with the rising cost of living.
The disruption is expected to have ripple effects on productivity, businesses and the wider economy as many workers are likely to report late, exhausted and less productive after walking long distances.
Others instructed to work remotely may also struggle to deliver effectively due to inadequate internet access, unreliable electricity and limited home-working resources, particularly among lower and middle-income households.
The transport paralysis has also forced some schools to suspend physical learning.
Odhiambo warned that the combined effect of fuel costs and transport disruptions could significantly slow economic activity across the country.
“The ongoing strike by the motorists’ association is a warning signal of the fragility of our economic stability amid high fuel costs,” she said.
“The nationwide transport strike is likely to disrupt supply chains, stall economic activity and paralyse urban and rural mobility alike.”
She said workers were unable to reach their jobs, goods were failing to reach markets and emergency services risked delays because of transport disruptions.
“This is how economic pressure quickly becomes a social crisis,” she warned.
The transport sector itself also faces heavy financial losses from the shutdown.
Kenya’s matatu industry generates an estimated Sh250 billion to over Sh300 billion annually and accounts for more than 70 per cent of the country’s passenger transport system.
The sector also sustains more than two million direct and indirect jobs, making it one of the most critical pillars of the national economy.
With vehicles grounded across major towns and highways, operators are expected to suffer significant revenue losses if the strike persists.
The protests were triggered by the latest EPRA fuel price review announced on May 14, which increased the price of Super Petrol by Sh16.65 per litre and Diesel by Sh46.29 per litre, while kerosene prices remained unchanged.
In Nairobi, Super Petrol now retails at Sh214.25 per litre, Diesel at Sh242.92 and Kerosene at Sh152.78 until June 14.
Transport operators and motorists have termed the increases excessive and unjustified, arguing that Kenya’s fuel prices remain significantly higher than those in some neighbouring and landlocked countries despite fuel imports entering through the Port of Mombasa.
Even as the National Police Service assured the public of heightened security and urged calm during the demonstrations, uncertainty remained over how long the shutdown would continue.
Odhiambo urged the government to urgently engage stakeholders in the transport and energy sectors to prevent the situation from escalating further.
“We need sustainable, transparent and accountable interventions that stabilise fuel prices and protect livelihoods,” she said. “Failure to act will expose millions of Kenyans to deepening economic hardship and reduced access to essential services.”