The Kenya Motorist Association has expressed outrage following clandestine discussions between certain transport sector leaders and government officials that abruptly ended the nationwide transport strike, leaving coalition members unaware of the proceedings.
In a communiqué issued on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, MAK revealed that the confidential discussions occurred without the involvement or approval of alliance partners who had invested considerable time organizing one of the most cohesive transport protests witnessed in Kenya recently.
“The Kenya Motorist Association, alongside all transport stakeholders excluded from the recent talks, firmly denounce the deceitful and covert tactics employed by a select group of industry figures who unilaterally terminated the transport sector strike without consulting their coalition partners,” the statement emphasized.
The protest had assembled an extensive coalition encompassing truck proprietors, trailer operators, taxi and cab associations, bus enterprises, tour chauffeurs, digital boda boda riders, cargo haulers, pickup owners, private drivers, and ordinary citizens.
All parties were unified by a collective fuel price surge reaching Ksh 76 per liter, which has caused transportation fares and food expenses to escalate throughout the nation.
The outcome presented by the clandestine negotiators was merely a Ksh 10 decrease in diesel prices, disclosed by EPRA on May 18.
MAK and other excluded stakeholders have characterized the resolution as a capitulation rather than a triumph.
Per the statement, the dissenting individuals conducted undisclosed meetings on May 19 with Energy CS Opiyo Wandayi, Roads and Transport CS Davis Chirchir, Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen, and Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja, blatantly contravening the alliance’s established protocols.
“Regrettably, as has occurred previously, several known individuals met privately with government representatives, including Cabinet Secretaries and the Nairobi Governor, without informing others. These discussions directly violated the agreed-upon engagement rules. The consensus was unequivocal: government officials were to address the entire alliance, and no individual subgroup was permitted to negotiate independently,” the statement explained.
MAK further highlighted that no formal agreement was signed by those engaged in the negotiations, raising significant questions about the durability of the arrangement.
The strike has been suspended for one week, with subsequent negotiations still pending.
The association also criticized media outlets for concentrating on select individuals while overlooking the broader coalition’s concerns, and accused the government of identifying specific actors who repeatedly mobilize public support only to abandon them once their personal objectives are fulfilled, describing this as a prolonged pattern.
MAK observed that similar betrayals transpired in 2018 and 2024, indicating that for certain participants, the practice of participating in discussions and making separate arrangements is a recurring behavior.