UPDATE 1-Kenya transport strike over fuel price hikes suspended for one week

Fuel price hikes ⁠in the past two months have sharply raised transport fares and ⁠pushed up ⁠the cost of basic goods, deepening pressure on households already struggling to make ends meet.

Kenya's government ‌said ​on Tuesday that a public transport strike in protest against fuel price hikes triggered ‌by the Iran war would be called off for a week, a day after four people were killed in protests across ‌the country.

Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen told a televised press conference that ‌the one-week strike suspension would allow for more talks between the government and transport operators. Negotiations on Monday, the first day of the strike, failed to ⁠reach ​an agreement, ⁠despite the government agreeing to lower the diesel price.

Bus and minibus services across ⁠Kenya were disrupted on Tuesday morning and some schools shut. Many commuters ​were forced to walk, or pay far more than usual, ⁠to get to work as public anger spread over the rising cost of ⁠living.

Kenya ​imports nearly all its fuel products from the Middle East via government-to-government deals with Gulf suppliers. Fuel price hikes ⁠in the past two months have sharply raised transport fares and ⁠pushed up ⁠the cost of basic goods, deepening pressure on households already struggling to make ends meet.