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Animals find time to relax in the middle of Outering road near Pipeline stage after matatu went on strike on May 18, 2026. [Stafford Ondego, Standard]
Kenya’s major highways and urban roads descended into chaos on Monday as a nationwide matatu strike over rising fuel prices paralysed public transport, leaving thousands of commuters stranded and triggering protests across several counties.
From Nairobi to Kakamega, Nakuru, Narok, Nandi, Kajiado and Machakos, roads that normally serve as key economic lifelines were barricaded, deserted or occupied by demonstrators demanding government intervention to address soaring fuel costs.
In Kakamega, youths and matatu operators lit bonfires and blocked the Kakamega–Kisumu Highway with stones and debris, disrupting movement along the busy transport corridor.
