Before the planned strike on Monday, May 18, transport stakeholders from across the country had reportedly held several secret meetings to organize the demonstrations.
The alliance included matatu owners, truck drivers, boda boda riders, taxi operators, ride-hailing drivers, tour companies, and other businesses that depend heavily on diesel fuel.
According to people involved in the talks, the biggest challenge among the stakeholders was trust. Many feared that the government could divide the group and weaken their unity before the strike began.
To avoid infiltration, some organizers reportedly created a private WhatsApp group called “High Fuel Prices,” which acted as the command center for planning the strike.
Membership was limited because some stakeholders believed government insiders could interfere with their plans, just like in previous strikes in 2018 and 2024.
The group’s plan was simple but powerful — withdraw transport services and occupy roads across the country to force the government to lower fuel prices.
The transport operators were demanding a reduction of Sh46 on diesel prices, saying the high cost of fuel was hurting their businesses and ordinary Kenyans.
However, divisions slowly started appearing within the alliance.
While some members wanted to continue with the strike without negotiating, others believed they should first engage the government. In the end, disagreements weakened the unity that had initially made the alliance strong.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki later revealed that the President instructed government officials to quickly find a solution.
Soon after, government officials organized another round of meetings with some transport leaders. However, not everyone in the alliance was invited.
Some hardline members later claimed that only “friendly” leaders who were willing to cooperate with the government were selected for the discussions.
The talks later moved to State House Mombasa, where a smaller group of transport leaders met President Ruto after temporarily suspending the strike.
According to insiders, most of the real negotiations had already happened in Nairobi before the Mombasa meeting, making the State House talks more ceremonial than serious.
In the end, the government announced a Sh10 reduction in diesel prices during the June-July pricing cycle — far below the Sh46 reduction demanded by transport operators.
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