Kenya Fuel Protests Leave Four Dead, 30 Injured

At least four people have been killed and 30 injured in Kenya during nationwide protests against sharp increases in fuel prices. Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen told a televised press conference that 348 people were arrested on Monday as people took to the streets in support of a national transport strike.

Streets leading to the center of Nairobi were deserted after police fired tear gas at protesters. Demonstrators threw stones and blocked major roads with burning tires. The strikes have affected major cities, including the capital and the southern city of Mombasa, where many people rely on bus services. Passengers in some towns were forced to walk long distances to work and school.

Transport unions have demanded the government reverse its recent decision to increase fuel prices. Kenya raised retail petrol prices by up to 23.5% last week, following a 24.2% hike the previous month. Higher fuel costs are driving up prices of food and other basic goods, squeezing the resources of many people who are already struggling in the country's economy.

The Ministry of Energy and Petroleum defended the fuel price increases, arguing that the decision was made amid prolonged volatility in the global oil market due to the war in Iran. Kenya, one of many African countries dependent on fuel imports from the Gulf, has been hit hard by Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world's oil normally passes.

Minister Murkomen insisted that most parts of the East African country remained peaceful, but alleged that 'criminal elements' had been mobilized to target government and personal property. He declared the protests 'have been hijacked by political figures for political gain.'

However, opposition figure Rigathi Gachagua accused President William Ruto and his business associates of exploiting Kenyans and manipulating prices to boost profit margins. 'That message resonates with the frustrated, with those who are barely surviving, who have faced a 25% increase last month and a similar increase this week. It's really devastating for people trying to make ends meet and those in the transport business,' said Al Jazeera correspondent Malcom Webb.

Criticism over the deaths of protesters came swiftly. Kenyan human rights group Vocal Africa said on social media that it 'strongly condemns the use of lethal force by law enforcement that claimed the lives of four citizens during the fuel protests.' Protests in Kenya have become increasingly violent in recent years. Last year, several people were killed when police and vigilantes clashed with young protesters taking to the streets over various issues, including police brutality, government corruption, and high taxes. In June 2024, police opened fire on a large crowd of protesters opposing tax increases, killing at least 60 people, according to human rights groups.