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Barricades and gridlock: Kitengela erupts amid nationwide matatu strike
18th May, 2026 10:18 AM
Protests and transport paralysis hit Kitengela on Monday morning, May 18, 2026, as the nationwide matatu strike over fuel prices spilled into one of the busiest commuter towns along the Nairobi–Namanga corridor, leaving roads sealed off, passengers stranded, and normal movement brought to a sudden halt.
The situation unfolded early along the Namanga Highway section cutting through Kitengela town, where groups of protesters moved quickly to block key junctions using burning tyres and stones. What is normally a busy stretch filled with matatus heading to Nairobi and Isinya turned into an empty, tense corridor, with smoke rising in the distance and commuters standing in clusters trying to understand where transport had gone.
Videos shared widely on social media show long queues of stranded passengers and motorists being forced to turn back at barricaded points, with no public service vehicles operating through the town. Many residents reported that matatus had disappeared from the roads before sunrise, as drivers and conductors joined the strike or parked their vehicles in solidarity with the wider transport shutdown.
The disruption also triggered a full breakdown of morning routines. Schools opened late in some areas, businesses delayed operations, and workers who rely on early transport were left walking long distances or waiting for private arrangements. The usual morning rhythm of Kitengela, often described as fast-growing and heavily commuter-dependent, was replaced by uncertainty and stalled movement.
A similar pattern was reported along Thika Road, where sections around Roysambu and neighbouring suburbs experienced intermittent barricades and heavy disruptions. Traffic that usually stretches for kilometres during peak hours was replaced by confusion, with motorists making sudden U-turns and security personnel attempting to redirect movement away from affected sections.
At the centre of the unrest is the ongoing dispute over fuel pricing, with transport operators arguing that recent increases have made daily operations financially unsustainable. According to industry representatives under the Transport Sector Alliance, rising pump prices have pushed up fares, maintenance costs, and overall operational pressure, forcing them to take industrial action as a last resort.
Several matatu groups have publicly backed the strike through statements circulated on social media, insisting that the current fuel pricing structure is unworkable and warning that continued operations without adjustments would collapse the sector.
“PUBLIC NOTICE! In view of the MATATU STRIKE slated for tomorrow, we will not be in operation. We shall communicate when services will resume. Thank you,” Super Metro said in their statement on Sunday, May 17, 2026.
Security personnel were seen monitoring key roads in Kitengela as tensions remained high throughout the morning. While there were no widely reported major clashes, the presence of barricades and growing crowds created an atmosphere of unease, especially along entry points into the town, where movement was completely restricted at intervals.
