Matatu Owners Association President Albert Karakacha has warned that transport operators will not back down from ongoing protests over rising fuel costs until the government engages them.
Karakacha accused Treasury CS John Mbadi of threatening the economy through continued fuel price increases, saying the hikes were hurting transport businesses and ordinary Kenyans already struggling with rising costs of living nationwide.
Speaking on Monday amid transport-related protests witnessed in Nairobi and other parts of the country, Karakacha noted that operators were frustrated by continued increases in fuel prices and the government’s lack of willingness to hold dialogue with stakeholders in the public transport sector.
The MOA President claimed the government had not made any effort to reach out to the association despite growing tension within the transport industry.
“The government has not reached out to us, because we were waiting for them to talk to us. We’ve not had anything from them,” he highlighted.
He criticised remarks attributed to the Treasury CS, indicating that fuel prices could continue rising, describing the situation as dangerous for the country’s economy and public transport industry.
“We had the Minister for Finance talking about it, and he said that the prices will continue going up. That is a threat to the country,” he expressed.
He warned that continued fuel price increases risked creating instability in the transport sector and worsening the cost-of-living crisis affecting millions of Kenyans.
“So he needs to sit down and think for himself, because wherever we are going right now, it’s going to cause a mess within the industry,” Karagacha added, referring to CS Mbadi.
The demonstrations come as matatu operators and commuters grapple with the impact of rising fuel prices, which have triggered increases in transport costs and commodity prices across the country.
Karakacha said the burden was not being felt only by transport operators, but also by ordinary citizens struggling to meet daily expenses.
“Ordinary Kenyans and the association are asking the government to listen to wananchi because it is not only business people suffering. Ordinary citizens are also suffering because when fuel prices go up, even supermarket prices go up,” he stated.
He argued that fuel taxes imposed by the government were making it difficult for transport businesses to survive and urged authorities to consider reducing or removing some levies imposed on petroleum products.
“We are asking the government to listen to us and sit down with us so that we can agree, because if some of the taxes on fuel are removed, we know very well our businesses can continue,” Karakacha expressed.
He also compared Kenya’s fuel prices with those in Angola, saying the disparity highlighted the pressure facing Kenyan consumers and businesses.
“When you look at a country like Angola, the economy of Angola and Kenya are almost the same. But fuel prices in Angola are close to Sh58, while in Kenya it is almost Sh242,” compared.
The protests have in recent days disrupted transport operations in parts of Nairobi, with reports of blocked roads, stranded commuters, and confrontations between demonstrators and police.
The MOA boss appealed to members of the association and demonstrators to maintain peace during the protests despite mounting frustrations within the sector.
The transport sector remains one of the industries most directly affected by fluctuations in fuel prices, with operators often forced to increase fares in response to rising operational costs.
This, in turn, affects the prices of goods and services across the economy, given the central role of transport in supply chains and daily commuting.
Karakacha maintained that unless the government initiated dialogue with transport stakeholders, demonstrations could continue as operators sought solutions to unsustainable fuel costs.
He insisted that the protests were not solely about business interests but reflected broader public frustration over the rising cost of living and economic pressure facing ordinary Kenyans.