Wiper leader Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka has demanded the immediate resignation of Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi as a prerequisite for resolving the transport paralysis currently gripping the nation.
In a strongly worded statement issued by the Presidential Secretariat, Musyoka outlined a three-point proposal to end the standoff between the government and the Transport Sector Alliance. Beyond calling for Wandayi’s exit, Musyoka urged President William Ruto to direct his administration to open genuine dialogue with strike organizers and present a transparent framework for stabilizing fuel prices. He further offered the United Alternative Government’s services to facilitate these negotiations to alleviate the suffering of stranded citizens.
The proposals come as hundreds of thousands of commuters remained stranded across the country. The crisis was sparked by a May 14 announcement from the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA), which raised the cost of diesel by Ksh 46.29 per litre and super petrol by Ksh 16.65 per litre.
Musyoka characterized the industrial action as a “legitimate response to illegitimate policy,” arguing that the price hikes were implemented without public consultation or compassion for families already burdened by a high cost of living.
The opposition leader warned that the economic consequences are becoming severe, with supply chains disrupted and commerce grinding to a halt in major hubs from Mombasa to Kisumu and Eldoret to Garissa.
“This is not a natural disaster,” Musyoka stated, placing the responsibility for the national paralysis squarely on the current administration. While the government has yet to formally respond to the ultimatum, the Wiper Patriotic Front and the Azimio La Umoja One Kenya coalition have reaffirmed their solidarity with the striking motorists.