Matatu strike: How to protect your job when getting to work is impossible
By Dan Kauna, May 18, 2026The Transport Alliance, a coalition of matatu operators, boda boda associations, digital taxi companies and freight transporters, confirmed on Sunday evening that the nationwide strike was fully on from midnight. No vehicle would move.
For millions of Kenyan workers, Monday morning became an immediate problem with no straightforward solution.
If you cannot get to the office today, you are not alone and this says nothing about your professionalism. What it does demand, though, is that you communicate clearly and early.
Tell your employer straight away
Do not wait until your normal start time to say something. The moment you know transport is not coming, reach out to your manager by WhatsApp, email, or phone.
Keep it brief and honest: the nationwide strike has made your commute impossible, you are flagging it as early as you can, and here is your plan for the day.
A 2023 peer-reviewed study published in the journal Merits found that workers who acknowledged the impact of their absence on the team, rather than simply stating what had happened, fared considerably better.
Researcher Joseph Mroz concluded that “including remorse significantly influences helping behaviors,” meaning a considerate, proactive message does real work for your professional standing.
A news link confirming the strike or a screenshot of the Transport Alliance statement is also worth keeping, particularly if you are still in a probationary period.
Ask about working from home
Today’s disruption is a national one, not a personal failure, and your manager likely knows that. Come to the conversation with a plan: your laptop is on, you are reachable, and you can join any meetings digitally.
Workers who arrive at these conversations with solutions rather than just problems tend to fare considerably better.
If a full remote day is not possible, ask what partial arrangement works, whether that is joining key meetings by phone or making up hours later in the week. The ask itself signals professionalism.
The strike is not yours to apologise for. How you handle the morning absolutely is.