While most of Nairobi remains without public transport this morning, Jogoo Road is telling a slightly different story. A handful of matatus have returned to the route, quietly picking up passengers who have been stranded since dawn with no vehicles in sight.
It is a small but significant development. For the commuters who have been standing at stages since early morning, the sight of even a few vehicles on the road offers a measure of relief.
The matatus operating are moving under heavy passenger demand, filling up quickly and charging fares well above the usual rates. For many, the higher cost is a burden they have little choice but to accept.
The rest of Nairobi has not seen the same. Bus stages across the city remain largely deserted, businesses continue to operate below capacity and thousands of workers have been forced to seek alternative means or simply wait. The partial movement on Jogoo Road is an exception, not a sign that the crisis is over.
The dispute at the heart of the shutdown centres on a fuel price review by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority effective May 15, 2026, which pushed diesel to Sh242.92 per litre and super petrol to Sh214.25.
Operators say those prices leave them no viable path to running vehicles without charging fares that price out the very passengers they serve.
Talks between the government and transport operators ran late into Monday evening without a resolution. Both sides remain divided and the Matatu Owners Association has maintained its directive for vehicles to stay off the road.