Kenyan Uber, Bolt drivers call off strike after 2 days of petrol price protest

E-hailing drivers in Kenya have called off a strike over the price of petrol and its impact on their businesses. This was disclosed in a statement to Technext by the Chairperson of the Women Commercial Drivers Association of Kenya, (WCDA-K), Nyambura Kogi.

This follows the suspension of the strike by the larger Transport Sector Alliance, which includes associations of bus operators popularly known as Matatu, bike operators popularly called BodaBoda, and, of course, e-hailing operators on the Uber and Bolt apps.

“The strike has now been called off as engagements continue. We therefore encourage our members to resume work safely, remain vigilant on the roads, protect their vehicles and assets, and continue documenting the real cost of driving,” Ms Kogi said.

Nyambura Kogi, Chairperson of WCDA-K

She also recognised the courage, discipline and solidarity shown by drivers who downed their tools to demand fair fuel prices, safe rates, dignity at work and protection for the people who keep Kenya moving.

“For WCDA-K, this struggle is not over. Fuel prices, low fares, high maintenance costs, platform commissions, safety risks, maternity protection, social protection and recognition of our tools of trade remain urgent issues for women commercial drivers. Until the next call to action, we remain organised, alert and united,” she said.

Kenyan petrol hike and Uber drivers’ dilemma

Recall that the strike and the accompanying protests broke out across major cities in Kenya on Monday in response to escalating fuel prices. Last week, the Kenyan ⁠Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority raised fuel prices by as much as 24 per cent.

The authority attributed this to the US-Israel/Iran conflict in the Middle East that was squeezing global oil and gas supplies.

Picture of a hand holding a pump to pump gasoline.

This was after a 24.2 per cent hike that was effected ​in April. On Monday, Kenyan Finance Minister ​John Mbadi had argued that even the current prices were already subsidised. Across several cities, PMS sells for KES 211 per litre in Mombasa, KES214 in Nairobi, and KES 213 in Nakaru and Kisumu, according to information on the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority’s website.

For transporters, which include Uber drivers, the litany of increases spans longer than the recent hikes. According to the WCDA-K chairperson, from May 2021 to May 2026, petrol rose by about 69.5 per cent, diesel by about 125.6 per cent, and kerosene by about 56.1 per cent.

“The most painful change for transport workers is diesel because matatus, buses, trucks and many commercial fleets depend on it. Diesel also jumped by about 47.3% between May 2025 and May 2026 alone,” she said.

Speaking about the effectiveness of the strike, Nyambura Kogi said the action has already been effective in one important way by forcing the country to confront the reality that transport workers are running at a loss. 

She said the action has also shown that the transport sector cannot function when drivers are pushed beyond survival. Noting that drivers move the economy. and indeed the whole country. However, she said the desired aims have not yet been fully achieved until the cost of PMS crashes down to around KES150.

“We need structured negotiations that include e-hailing drivers, women drivers and other transport workers whose voices are often left out. Again, they adjusted fuel prices by 42 shillings and lowered them by 10 for diesel and went to lie to the public that we had a resolution. We do not have a resolution until this fuel is 150 shillings at most a litre,” she said.

A WCDA-K meeting

She also accused the Energy and Petroleum Regulation Authority of becoming politically compromised and of doing the president’s bidding.

She further called on the government, transport companies and digital platforms to stop treating drivers as shock absorbers for every economic crisis. For women commercial drivers, she noted that the strike is also about dignity, safety and survival, where the cost of driving has overtaken the income from driving.

See also: Bolt introduces 6% fare hike in Kenya to cushion drivers against fuel cost