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No deal, strike still on: Transport stakeholders declare after chaotic meeting with govt
18th May, 2026 09:53 PM
A meeting between government officials and transport sector stakeholders at Transcom House in Nairobi on Monday night, May 18, 2026, has ended without an agreement.
Transport operators have confirmed that the nationwide strike, which began on Monday, May 18, 2026, will continue after the chaotic meeting at Transcom House ended without a deal.
The high-stakes crisis meeting convened at Transcom House, the Ministry of Roads and Transport headquarters along Ngong Road, Nairobi, ended in a tense deadlock.
The meeting was attended by Energy CS Opiyo Wandanyi, his Transport counterpart Davis Chirchir and other top ministry officials.
Government officials and key public transport stakeholders, including Matatu owners and operators, clashed over unresolved grievances, fueling fears that the ongoing nationwide transport paralysis could escalate.
While government officials pushed for immediate resumption of services to alleviate public suffering, operators refused to budge without concrete concessions on fuel taxes or operational subsidies.
Transport operators argue that the increase has pushed their margins to the absolute brink, making it impossible to operate sustainably without aggressively raising fares, which commuters cannot afford.
“We have not agreed on anything. We know very well the Ministry of Energy could do something to give us 46 which they say they do not have. The government have a lot of pockets and can get this 46 shillings we are looking for,” Matatu Owners Association (MOA) chairperson Albert Karakacha said while speaking to the media after the meeting.
Matatu Owners Association (MOA) representatives and federation leaders remained defiant, stating that operating under the current fuel pricing and heavy-handed NTSA regulations is no longer financially viable.
“We did not come to Transcom House for a lecture on ‘patience.’ Every time fuel prices go up, the matatu operator absorbs the shock because the public cannot afford fare hikes. Coupled with the aggressive new traffic fines being pushed through parliament, we are being pushed out of business. No deal has been reached, and the vehicles stay off the road,” another transport official said.
“The government expects us to keep running at a loss while they collect taxes. They told us to clear the roads first before they could give us concrete concessions on fuel subsidies or tax relief. We say no. Until we see a signed directive reducing the operational burdens on our members, the strike continues.”
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Martin Oduor
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