Kenya faces transport paralysis in seven days as Sh7 fuel levy sparks wide outrage

A potential transport crisis is looming large over the nation as transport service providers issue a seven-day ultimatum to the government over a newly imposed road maintenance levy.

The industry is threatening industrial action if the government fails to rescind the controversial tax.

The Motorist Association of Kenya, through its chairman Peter Murima, has vehemently opposed the levy, arguing that it is an illicit burden on Kenyans.

Murima has calculated that the daily imposition of the seven-shilling levy on the country’s 20 million litres of diesel and petrol consumption translates to a staggering Sh140 million daily loss for motorists.

“And now that is costing us every day Sh7 on top of our fuel costs if you multiply that with the daily consumption that we do of 20 million litres of diesel and petrol you find that every day we are paying illegal cess or illegal Levy of Kenya Sh140 million,” Murima stated.

In a defiant stance, the transport sector has issued a seven-day notice, promising to down tools if the government does not reverse the levy.

“We the undersigned reject the illegal increase of the road maintenance Levy. We give the government 7 days to rescind the increase or face industrial action,” the association demanded.

The potential strike is likely to have far-reaching consequences for the economy, with disruptions to essential services and supply chains.

Should the strike proceed, it could lead to widespread disruptions, forcing many Kenyans to seek alternative means of transport, potentially on foot. 

The government is now under immense pressure to address the concerns of the transport sector and avert a potential crisis.

By the time of this publication, the government had not yet responded to the demands, leaving the nation in anticipation of possible transport chaos.