Ride-Hailing Firms Return to Roads as Kenya Pauses Transport Strike

Ride-hailing drivers, matatu operators and other transport players resumed operations on Tuesday after industry representatives secured a temporary truce with the government following hours of talks in Nairobi.

The agreement pauses the nationwide transport strike for seven days, creating room for negotiations between state officials and operators from both the public service vehicle sector and app-based transport services. Commuters in Nairobi and other urban centres had earlier faced delays after sections of the transport industry withdrew services.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen said discussions between the government and transport groups would continue until May 26 under a joint consultation framework agreed during the meeting at Harambee House.

Under the arrangement, operators are expected to keep vehicles on the road while negotiations continue behind the scenes. Industry representatives, however, indicated that the suspension remains conditional and could collapse if the talks fail to address concerns raised by operators.

Digital cab operators emerged as a central part of the stoppage after ride-hailing services joined wider transport protests that also drew in matatu owners and sector associations. Their involvement exposed how heavily urban movement now depends on app-based taxi networks, especially during periods of disruption in conventional public transport.

Federation of Public Transport Sector chief executive Kushian Muchiri said operators had accepted to resume work after the government committed to formal engagement with the industry. He argued that the current disruption reflected unresolved frustrations that had built up across the sector.

Matatu Owners Association chairman Albert Karakacha separately appealed to vehicle owners and drivers to restore services immediately to ease pressure on passengers and businesses affected by the stoppage.

Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja will oversee the negotiation process as part of the agreement reached on Tuesday. Sakaja also called on financial institutions and auctioneers dealing with operators in the sector to allow temporary flexibility as transport businesses stabilize operations.

Attention now shifts to the week-long negotiation period, which both government officials and transport operators will use to attempt a broader settlement before the suspension expires.

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