Protesters light bonfires during public transport strike in Kenya over fuel prices

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Protests erupted in Kenya’s capital Nairobi Monday as a nationwide public transport strike kicked off in protest at rising fuel prices.

Commuters were stranded in various suburbs and the city center remained deserted. Drivers with private vehicles opted to stay home as protesters burned tires on major roads.

The Kenya Association of Private Schools had advised its members to assess the safety of students going to school, and most schools opted for online learning.

Kenya’s fuel prices hit a record high on Friday with the diesel price increasing by 23.5% and gasoline by 8%.

President William Ruto, who has been out of the country, is yet to comment on the new prices. In the last price review in April he attributed it to the Iran war but reduced the taxes to prevent a sharp increase in price at the time.

The Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Friday said the increased prices would affect all commodities and services in the country.

“The April–May comparison shows that while global crude oil prices increased by about 10.7%, Kenya’s diesel price rose by 23.5% over the same period. This points to the continued role of domestic cost buildup,” the chamber of commerce said in a statement.

Former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua, who joined the opposition after his impeachment in October 2024 over corruption, blamed the sharp rise on corrupt businesspeople who want to increase their profit margins.

He compared the fuel prices to those in neighboring landlocked countries that rely on Kenyan ports for importation of fuel, such as Uganda, where prices are lower.

Kenya serves as a major transport hub for businesspeople importing goods through the port of Mombasa to be ferried by road.

A man demonstrates near a fire during a public transport strike over fuel prices in Nairobi, Kenya, Monday, May 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Andrew Kasuku)

A man walks past burning tyres during a public transport strike over fuel prices in Nairobi, Kenya, Monday, May 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Andrew Kasuku)

People ride past burning tyres during a public transport strike over fuel prices in Nairobi, Kenya, Monday, May 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Andrew Kasuku)

A demonstrator places a board over burning tyres during a public transport strike over fuel prices in Nairobi, Kenya, Monday, May 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Andrew Kasuku)

A man demonstrates near a fire during a public transport strike over fuel prices in Nairobi, Kenya, Monday, May 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Andrew Kasuku)

STRASBOURG, France (AP) — Madison Keys has withdrawn from a French Open warmup tournament because of an injury to her left thigh, organizers said on Monday.

The 19th-ranked American was scheduled to play at the Internationaux de Strasbourg this week, where she won the title in 2024.

“I've decided it's best to withdraw from Strasbourg to get healthy and ready to compete in Roland Garros,” Keys said.

The French Open starts on May 24 in Paris. Keys made it to the semifinals at the clay-court Grand Slam in 2018. She retired from the final of the Clarins Trophy while leading Diane Parry 6-3, 3-3 on Sunday.

AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

FILE - Madison Keys of the U.S. plays a shot against Coco Gauff of the U.S. during their quarterfinal match of the French Tennis Open in Paris, on June 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena, File)