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Protestors set vehicle ablaze in Githurai as demos intensify
18th May, 2026 01:18 PM
A section of Githurai descended into chaos on Monday, May 18, 2026, after protesters set a vehicle on fire along the busy Thika Superhighway as demonstrations linked to the nationwide matatu strike intensified.
Videos circulating online showed thick black smoke billowing into the air as angry youths barricaded roads using stones, tyres and debris, turning one of Nairobi’s busiest transport corridors into a near ghost road. Other clips shared across social media platforms captured stranded commuters trekking for kilometres while motorists made abrupt U-turns to escape the unrest.
The protests erupted as the country woke up to a massive transport shutdown organised by players in the public transport sector over soaring fuel prices that have left both operators and ordinary wananchi gasping for air financially. In Githurai, the demonstrations quickly escalated from chants and road blockades into running battles, with witnesses reporting tension spreading across sections of the highway linking Nairobi to Kiambu and Murang’a counties.
By mid-morning, movement around Githurai 45 had almost ground to a halt. Commuters who normally rely on matatus found themselves stranded at bus stages.
The nationwide strike was backed by several transport sector organisations, including the Federation of Public Transport Sector, the Matatu Owners Association, the Truckers Association of Kenya, boda boda operators, digital taxi associations and private motorists’ lobby groups.
In a joint statement shared on Sunday night, the Transport Sector Alliance declared that “no vehicle shall move” beginning midnight Monday as operators protested what they termed unbearable fuel costs. The alliance argued that the pain was no longer affecting transport players alone, but every Kenyan household was already struggling with the rising cost of living.
The protests were triggered by the latest fuel review announced by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) on May 14. The new prices saw petrol rise to Ksh214.25 per litre while diesel jumped sharply to Ksh242.92, one of the steepest increases witnessed in recent years. Operators argued that the figures had made the transport business almost impossible to sustain without drastically hiking fares.
Several SACCOs and operators had already signalled disruption before Monday morning. Super Metro announced suspension of operations in solidarity with the strike, while multiple matatu associations warned commuters to prepare for reduced or completely paralysed services.
“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.
Matatu operators had also proposed a 50 per cent fare increase, insisting they could no longer absorb fuel costs.
