Nairobi — Ride-hailing boda boda operators abandoned digital apps on Monday and reverted to conventional roadside pick-ups as demand for two-wheel transport surged following a nationwide matatu strike triggered by soaring fuel prices.
A spot check by Capital FM across major Nairobi corridors revealed hundreds of boda boda riders opting to work offline in a bid to maximize earnings from stranded commuters scrambling to report to work and school after public transport operators grounded vehicles in protest over rising pump prices.
Some riders were seen carrying up to two passengers at a time as desperate commuters crowded roadsides along Kiambu Road, Thika Road, Waiyaki Way, Mombasa Road, Jogoo Road and Ngong Road.
"Today is a good day for us because we have so many people to ferry. On normal days, only people in a hurry would use boda boda in the morning," said Amos Mahaso, a boda boda rider who normally operates through ride-hailing apps.
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"I have opted out of the app because I don't want to be limited on the number of trips I can make today."
The transport paralysis followed a coordinated shutdown by the Transport Sector Alliance (TSA), bringing together matatu operators, truckers, boda boda associations, digital taxi operators and logistics firms in one of the broadest transport protests witnessed in Kenya in recent years.
From dawn, bus stops remained packed with commuters while several matatu termini across Nairobi stayed deserted as transport operators enforced the strike over the latest fuel price hike announced by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) last week.
Under the latest review effective May 15, EPRA raised super petrol prices by Sh16.65 per litre and diesel by Sh46.29 per litre, pushing pump prices in Nairobi to Sh214.25 and Sh242.92 respectively.
The latest increase came barely a month after another sharp upward adjustment in April, when petrol rose by Sh28.69 and diesel by Sh40.30 per litre.
Transport operators say the soaring cost of diesel--now significantly higher than petrol--has made operations unsustainable, with the burden already spilling over to commuter fares and the prices of basic commodities.
"This action is not only for transport operators, but for every Kenyan citizen," the alliance said in a joint statement.
"The ordinary mwananchi is the ultimate victim of high fuel prices, paying more for transport, food, electricity and essential commodities."
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The coalition declared the strike "99 per cent successful" and vowed that no vehicle would move beginning midnight Sunday as pressure mounted on President William Ruto's administration to intervene.
The alliance is demanding an immediate reversal of the latest fuel price increase and wants diesel and petrol prices reduced to about Sh152 per litre, with a long-term target of between Sh140 and Sh150.
It is also seeking the removal of Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi, the disbandment of the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA), restoration of a competitive fuel procurement system, and revival of the Changamwe Oil Refinery.
"Enough is enough. Fuel is the lifeblood of the economy. When fuel prices rise beyond reason, the entire nation suffers," the alliance added.
The strike now raises fresh concerns over wider economic disruption, with business leaders warning that continued transport paralysis could hit supply chains, inflate food prices, and slow commercial activity across the country.
