Heavy security was deployed across Thika Road and Kiambu after violent fuel protests led to road barricades, vandalism and vehicle destruction.

📻 Breaking It Down

NAIROBI, Kenya, May 18 — Heavy security deployment was mounted across parts of Kiambu County and sections of Thika Road on Monday after incidents of vandalism, road barricades and destruction of vehicles were reported during the ongoing nationwide PSV strike over soaring fuel prices.

The unrest escalated along the busy Thika Superhighway corridor, where protesters lit tyres, blocked sections of the road and engaged police in running battles that disrupted traffic movement for hours during the morning rush hour.

At least one private vehicle was set ablaze while several others were vandalised as tensions flared around Githurai and Kenyatta Road, sending thick plumes of smoke across one of Nairobi’s busiest transport corridors.

📌 What You Need to Know

Motorists were forced to make abrupt U-turns while public service vehicles, boda boda riders and private motorists abandoned journeys or sought alternative routes as access along parts of the highway became increasingly difficult.

Kiambu County Commissioner George Matundura said security teams had been deployed to restore access along Lower Kabete and the Western Bypass after groups of youth barricaded roads during the matatu strike.

Matundura also confirmed that a heavy security presence had been deployed along Thika Superhighway to restore order and protect motorists following reported cases of vandalism and destruction of vehicles during the protests.

The violence added to mounting commuter frustrations as thousands of stranded passengers trekked across Nairobi and its outskirts after matatu and bus operators withdrew services in a coordinated nationwide shutdown protesting rising fuel costs.

Large sections of the capital turned into what commuters described as a “walking city,” with deserted bus stages, unusually quiet transport corridors and long queues of passengers searching for alternative means of transport.

The disruption along Thika Road brought movement to a near standstill, affecting workers, traders and students who rely on the highway for daily access into Nairobi.

📰 Source: Capital FM Kenya