At least four dead in protests in Kenya following rise in fuel prices

Nairobi, Kenya — At least four people have died, while dozens more have been injured in violent protests that erupted across Kenya on Monday, triggered by a significant increase in fuel prices.

Protests have disrupted normal traffic in Nairobi and other cities, with demonstrators blocking major roads and setting fire to parts of the outskirts of the capital.

The rise in fuel prices came after the impact of conflicts in the Middle East and disruptions in the Hormuz Strait, a crucial route for global oil. The Kenyan government announced a new fuel increase last week, with the price of diesel alone rising by 23.5 percent.

This decision sparked strong anger among the public and public transport workers, who announced a widespread strike. Thousands of people were stranded in major cities after the “matatu” transport services halted.

Kenya's Interior Minister, Kipchumba Murkomen, stated that four people died in the violence, while more than 30 were injured.

“It is a sad matter to lose four Kenyan citizens in the violence that occurred today,” the minister said.

Police confirmed they had arrested 348 people, stating that the security situation was brought under control in the later hours of the day.

The protests spread to several cities including Mombasa, Nakuru, Eldoret, and Nyeri.

On the other hand, Kenya's Finance Minister, John Mbadi, stated that the government is not to blame for the current crisis.

“This is a war we did not start,” he said, referring to the conflicts in the Middle East that have driven up global fuel prices.

Economists have warned that a single day of such protests could lead to losses in the Kenyan economy amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars.

The Kenyan government has stated it is undertaking efforts to control fuel prices and ensure energy supply, as the public faces increasing economic pressure.