Private cars were set ablaze and others vandalised on Thika Road as fuel protest clashes escalated, disrupting transport and Nairobi morning traffic.

📻 Breaking It Down

NAIROBI, Kenya, May 18 — A private vehicle was set ablaze and others vandalised on Thika Road on Monday morning as fuel protest tensions escalated into running battles between protesters and police, plunging one of Nairobi’s busiest highways into chaos.

The unrest erupted after protesters lit burning tyres and barricaded sections of the highway, forcing motorists to make abrupt U-turns and disrupting movement around Githurai and Kenyatta Road.

Thick plumes of smoke billowed across the carriageway as flames engulfed at least one private car, with other vehicles damaged in the ensuing confrontation, triggering panic among commuters and motorists caught in the corridor.

📌 What You Need to Know

Public service vehicles, private motorists and boda boda operators were forced to turn back or abandon their journeys as access along parts of the road became increasingly restricted amid the unfolding clashes.

Groups of youth occupied sections of the highway as tensions remained high, while commuters watched from a distance as security forces moved in to contain the situation.

The disruption brought movement along the corridor to a near standstill during the morning rush hour, affecting workers, students and traders who rely on the highway for entry into and out of the city.

Thousands of stranded commuters continued to stream across major roads in Nairobi after a nationwide transport strike crippled matatu and bus operations, turning large parts of the capital into a “walking city” as pressure mounted over soaring fuel prices.

From dawn, bus stops and matatu termini along Thika Road, Mombasa Road, Waiyaki Way, Jogoo Road and Ngong Road were left deserted, while commuters trekked long distances in search of transport.

The industrial action, led by the Transport Sector Alliance (TSA), brought together matatu operators, truckers, boda boda riders, digital taxi operators, logistics firms and private motorists in one of the broadest coordinated transport shutdowns in recent years.

📰 Source: Capital FM Kenya