At least four people were killed and more than 30 injured in Kenya on Monday during nationwide protests over rising fuel prices, Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen said.
Murkomen said 348 people were arrested as demonstrators gathered in support of a nationwide public transport strike. “We lost four Kenyans in today’s violence, which also saw more than 30 people injured,” he said during a televised news conference.
In Nairobi, roads leading to the city center were largely empty after police fired tear gas at protesters who threw stones and blocked major roads with burning tires.
The strike affected major cities, including Nairobi and Mombasa, disrupting bus services that many people rely on. In several towns, commuters walked long distances to work and school.
Transport unions called for the government to reverse a recent fuel price increase. Kenya raised retail fuel prices by as much as 23.5% last week, after a 24.2% increase the previous month.
Higher fuel costs have increased prices for food and other basic goods, putting pressure on household budgets.
The Ministry of Energy and Petroleum said the increase reflected continued volatility in global oil markets tied to the war in Iran. Kenya, which imports much of its fuel from the Gulf, has been affected by Iran’s effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a route for about a fifth of global oil shipments.
Murkomen said most of the country remained peaceful, but alleged that “criminal elements” had been mobilized to target public and private property. He also said the protests had “been hijacked by political actors for political ends.”