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A large protest against high fuel prices in eastern Kenya on the 18th (local time) left four people dead and more than 30 injured.
According to the local daily The Kenya Times and other outlets, protesters in Nairobi began demonstrating early that morning to oppose recent fuel price hikes. They erected barricades on roads and set vehicles on fire to block traffic. Matatus (shared minibuses), truck drivers and other transport operators joined the action and stayed off the roads, and some businesses and schools closed for the day.
At an afternoon press conference, Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen said the protests had left four people dead and more than 30 wounded, and he accused political opponents of using the demonstrations to foment destruction and unrest. Kenyan police said they arrested 348 people connected to the protests and that city traffic had resumed.
Kenya, which relies on imported oil, has seen diesel and gasoline prices rise as global oil prices climbed amid conflict involving Israel, the United States and Iran, putting consumers under significant strain. On the 14th, the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority announced a 23.5% increase in diesel prices, bringing the current price to 242 shillings per liter (roughly 2,800 KRW, about $2.10 USD per liter). The Kenyan government last month cut the value-added tax on fuel products from 16% to 8% through July, but protesters are demanding not only a reversal of the recent increase but also a 35% reduction in fuel prices.
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