Photo: Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen.

Kenyan transport operators (Matatu) on Tuesday suspended their ongoing strike for one week to allow high-level consultations between government and transport sector stakeholders aimed at resolving the dispute over fuel prices and related concerns.

The Star reported the Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen to have said that the decision followed agreement on the need for urgent dialogue to address the grievances raised by operators.

“There was need for negotiations with the stakeholders at a high level and they will take place within the next one week,” Murkomen said.

He added that the suspension of the strike was necessary to create room for consultations and reduce further disruption to transport and economic activities.

“The strike to be suspended for one week to provide an avenue for consultations,” he said.

The suspension comes after days of transport disruptions linked to protests and industrial action over rising fuel prices, which had left many commuters stranded and forced others to walk long distances.

Federation of Public Transport Sector CEO Kushian Muchiri welcomed the development, saying negotiations had begun in earnest, though he noted that earlier engagement could have prevented the disruption.

“As much as we would have been happy, we are also glad that at least negotiations have started in earnest,” Muchiri said.

He added: “Had we been taken seriously on Friday we would not be here. On behalf of the transport sector, mine is to urge all our members to resume operations immediately so that we can assist our customers.”

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Thousands of Kenyan commuters have been stranded and businesses paralysed as public transport operators went on a nationwide strike to protest against recent increases in the cost of fuel prompted by the Iran war.

The Transport Sector Alliance said on Sunday that vehicles affiliated with its member associations would stop operating from midnight in protest, while police said they would act to tackle any disruptions.

“We lost four Kenyans ⁠in today’s violence, which also saw more than 30 people injured,” Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen told a televised press conference.

Kenya’s Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority last week raised retail fuel prices by as much as 23.5% – after hiking them by 24.2% last month – as the conflict in the Middle East squeezed global oil and gas supplies.

On Monday morning, roads into the capital Nairobi were blocked by striking transport operators and scattered groups of protesters.

Key roads in the capital Nairobi remained largely empty, forcing some commuters to walk to work, with other parts of the country also affected by the transport crisis.

Some businesses in Nairobi remained shut and schools asked students to stay at home.

Protesters have been blocked roads and lighting burning barricades. More than 200 have been arrested, police say.

The strike comes days after the authorities raised petroleum prices to record levels, with costs increasing by more than 20%.

Police fired tear gas in some areas while some protesters lit tyres ​to cut access to key roads, worsening congestion and leaving many commuters stranded.

•Members of the Samsung Electronics labour union hold signs reading “Change it to be transparent!” as they stage a mass rally demanding the removal of a cap on performance bonuses, outside the company’s foundry and semiconductor factory in Pyeongtaek on April 23, 2026. (Photo by Jung Yeon-je / AFP via Getty Images)Jung Yeon-je | Afp | Getty Images

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Monday called for both labor and management rights to be respected as an 18-day strike at Samsung Electronics looms.

Lee, posting on X in Korean, said “labor must be respected as much as business, and corporate management rights must be respected as much as labor rights.”

“Excess is not beneficial; extremes lead to reversal,” he added, according to a CNBC translation of his statement.

Lee’s remarks are the latest in a chorus of statements from government officials urging Samsung Electronics and its workers’ union to reach an agreement before a planned strike set to begin on May 21.

A final round of talks between the union and Samsung’s management was scheduled for Monday.

The union’s demands center on Samsung’s performance-based bonus system. It is seeking performance bonuses equivalent to 15% of Samsung’s operating profit, the removal of bonus payout caps, and a formalized bonus structure, among other measures.

Samsung’s management has offered to allocate 10% of operating profit to bonuses and provide a one-time special compensation package, according to South Korean news agency Yonhap.

Source: CNBC.