The Jubilee Party has expressed solidarity with Kenyans affected by the ongoing nationwide matatu strike that has disrupted transport services across the country and left thousands stranded.
Deputy party leader Fred Matiang’i said the party had been forced to postpone its planned meeting by one week due to the transport shutdown, which has significantly affected movement and logistics.
“As a party Jubilee stands in solidarity with all Kenyans on the ongoing shutdown happening today,” Matiang’i said.
He added that the disruption had already affected party operations and increased costs for delegates travelling to Nairobi.
“Because of this, we will not go through our programme. We will postpone our meeting by one week. Before we leave, I drove from upcountry and even my expenditure with my team is two times already; that is a strain,” he said.
Matiang’i warned that the country could be heading into deeper economic and social strain if the underlying issues driving the transport crisis are not addressed.
“In my opinion, we are headed in the wrong direction and the worst is about to come,” he said.
His remarks come as Kenya continues to experience widespread transport disruption following a nationwide matatu strike linked to rising fuel prices, with commuters stranded in several counties and businesses reporting delays and losses.
Earlier, Motorists and operators under the Motorists Owners Association (MOA) have vowed to maintain their stand against rising fuel costs, even as disruptions continue across parts of the country following the ongoing transport sector strike.
Speaking to the media on Monday, MOA president Albert Karagacha said the movement will not back down, insisting that recent fuel price increases and taxation policies are hurting both operators and ordinary Kenyans.
“We won’t bow down,” Karagacha said, defending the decision to take industrial action.
He claimed the government had been warned about the impact of fuel price changes but failed to act decisively, warning that the situation could further destabilise the transport industry.
“We had the misinterpretation from the Ministry of Finance saying the prices will go up. He needs to sit… it will force more mess in the industry,” he said.
Karagacha called for urgent tax reforms, arguing that the current taxation structure was making life increasingly difficult for Kenyans.
