A banana vendor along Moi Avenue told Capital FM that days without transport had left her without any meaningful income.

📻 Breaking It Down

NAIROBI, Kenya, May 20 – Public service vehicles returned to Nairobi’s roads on Wednesday morning after a crippling two-day matatu strike paralysed transport and disrupted business activities across the country.

Commuters resumed their daily routines as matatus gradually returned to operation, bringing relief to thousands who had been stranded during the shutdown.

But while transport services are back, traders and drivers say the economic pain caused by soaring fuel prices and days of lost income continues to weigh heavily on them.

📌 What You Need to Know

The strike, led by matatu operators protesting high fuel costs, brought movement in major towns and cities to a near standstill.

The government has since opened a seven-day window for talks with matatu associations in an effort to find a lasting solution to rising fuel prices.

However, many operators say the crisis had already pushed them to the brink long before the strike began.

Speaking to Capital FM, one matatu driver described how the rising cost of fuel has drastically reduced their earnings.

“Fuel prices have shot up when you go to the pump, you fuel with about 7,000 or 8,000 shillings. It is like it has increased by about 2,000 shillings per tank for the whole day,” he said. “That 2,000 shilling increase affects us because, for instance, if the vehicle itself needs 3,000 shillings, you are only giving it 2,000 shillings.”

Drivers say the increased operational costs have created daily tensions between operators trying to stay afloat and passengers already struggling with the high cost of living.

📰 Source: Capital FM Kenya