Motorists and operators under the Motorists Owners Association (MOA) have vowed to maintain their stand against rising fuel costs, even as disruptions continue across parts of the country following the ongoing transport sector strike.
Speaking to the media on Monday, MOA president Albert Karagacha said the movement will not back down, insisting that recent fuel price increases and taxation policies are hurting both operators and ordinary Kenyans.
“We won’t bow down,” Karagacha said, defending the decision to take industrial action.
He claimed the government had been warned about the impact of fuel price changes but failed to act decisively, warning that the situation could further destabilise the transport industry.
“We had the misinterpretation from the Ministry of Finance saying the prices will go up. He needs to sit… it will force more mess in the industry,” he said.
Karagacha called for urgent tax reforms, arguing that the current taxation structure was making life increasingly difficult for Kenyans.
“We want the taxation to go down and the taxation is hurting Kenyans. The government should hear Kenyans. When you go to the supermarket, things have gone up. Let us sit down and understand each other… please listen to us,” he said.
At the same time, he urged calm among members of the association, saying the protests should remain peaceful despite growing frustration in the sector.
“We are urging our members that we want the strike to be peaceful. To Kenyans, it is not our liking, but we are here because of our business,” he added.
Karagacha further noted that even heavy commercial transport operators had joined the push, saying the crisis cuts across the entire logistics chain.
“Even lorry drivers are with us,” he said.
Monday’s nationwide strike, organised by transport sector players protesting recent fuel price hikes, paralysed transport services across major towns and highways, forcing thousands of commuters to walk long distances or pay inflated fares where transport remained available.
In the morning, the National Police Service had assured Kenyans of security, warning that disruptive conduct would be dealt with firmly.
Commuters and motorists were forced to avoid affected sections as police maintained heavy deployment in a bid to restore order.
Transport stakeholders have blamed the government and the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) for recent fuel price increases, arguing that high costs have made transport operations unsustainable while also burdening ordinary citizens through increased fares and commodity prices.
Traffic remains severely affected in several parts of Nairobi, with authorities continuing to monitor the evolving situation.
No casualties had been officially reported in connection with the burning vehicle by press time.
