A handful of protesters took to the streets early Tuesday, April 21, 2026, under the #RejectFuelPrices banner, with only isolated and limited demonstrations reported, even as online mobilisation, largely driven by Gen Z, intensified over the rising cost of fuel and living expenses.
The demonstrations, organised mainly through the social media platform X, gained traction over the past week following a sharp increase in pump prices, which pushed fuel costs close to or above Sh200 per litre. However, turnout remained limited throughout the day, with arrests and scattered protests reported, centred on demands for lower fuel prices.
Digital campaigns have been driven by influential online personalities, with rallying calls such as “Tuesday is Tuesday” and “I am ready for Tuesday” circulating widely. Posters shared online earlier had urged a nationwide turnout, with one reading: “Total Shutdown Tuesday. Fixing the Nation…”
However, authorities have warned that the demonstrations may be deemed unlawful. Nairobi Regional Police Commander Issa Mohamud said organisers had not submitted the required notice.
“Although we are aware of calls for protests next week, no official notification has been filed. This renders the planned demonstrations unlawful, and appropriate action will be taken,” he said.
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Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has also dismissed the effectiveness of protests in addressing fuel prices, attributing the increases to global factors, including tensions in the Middle East.
“Going to the streets for protests won’t be a solution. Even if Kenyans were to go to the streets to protest, at the end of the day, the prices would still be high.
“Our friends protested in 2023 when maize flour prices were high, and the prices never fell. They only went down after the government put in place policies to ensure the prices were regulated. The same applies to the oil issue. Protests won’t reduce fuel prices,” he said.
Meanwhile, former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has urged security agencies to exercise restraint, backing the right to peaceful protest.
“If Gen Z decide that they want to take to the streets, they have my blessings. All I want to ask Murkomen, Kindiki, and William Ruto is that, if these wonderful people decide to demonstrate against the high cost of fuel, please don’t kill them as you have done in the past,” Gachagua said.
The protests come in the wake of recent fuel price adjustments by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA). In its latest review, the regulator set prices at Sh197.60 per litre for super petrol, Sh196.63 for diesel, and Sh152.78 for kerosene, attributing the changes to tax adjustments and legislative reforms in the petroleum sector.
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