Public transport operators have fully called off their nationwide strike after holding emergency talks with President William Ruto at State House, Mombasa. The breakthrough comes with a major government commitment to lower pump prices in the coming weeks.
The Sh10 Diesel Relief Pledge
Addressing the nation on Friday afternoon, President Ruto announced that the government will slash the price of diesel by Sh10 per litre starting with the June/July pricing cycle.
The drop is aimed at stabilizing local transport operations and cushioning consumers who are dealing with a high cost of living. If implemented fully by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA), the pump price for diesel in Nairobi will drop to Sh222.86 per litre down from the current Sh232.86.
“I have directed that in the next pricing cycle, we are going to reduce the price of diesel by a further Sh10 to help stabilize pump prices and provide additional relief to consumers,” the President stated.
The head of state defended the government’s recent intervention measures, stating that the state has already spent Sh15.72 billion on fuel stabilization subsidies during the May/June window to shield locals from massive global oil shocks. According to the state, international crude supply lines have been heavily disrupted by the ongoing Middle East crisis since February, pushing up import logistics and freight costs.
Matatu Operators Agree to Resume Work
Following the fresh commitments from State House, the Federation of Public Transport Sector (FPTS) and the Matatu Owners Association (MOA) confirmed that the industrial action is officially over. The strike had earlier been suspended for seven days but has now been terminated permanently.
FPTS Chairperson Edwins Mukabanah urged all transport players to comply with the directive and return to normal operations to protect the local economy.
| Product | Current Price (Nairobi) | Projected June Price | Expected Change |
| Super Petrol | Sh214.25 | Sh214.25 | Unchanged |
| Diesel | Sh232.86 | Sh222.86 | – Sh10.00 |
| Kerosene | Sh191.38 | Sh191.38 | Unchanged |
Beyond the fuel price adjustments, the transport sector representatives noted that the government has agreed to look into other long-standing operational bottlenecks. These include reviews on vehicle auctioneering, commercial insurance frameworks, and exemptions for passenger buses at public weighbridges.
The sector leaders apologized for the transport disruptions experienced earlier in the week in major cities like Nairobi and Mombasa, noting that normal service delivery is resuming immediately across all routes.
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