The Motorists Association of Kenya (MAK) has accused unnamed industry leaders of secretly negotiating with government officials to call off a nationwide transport strike,.
In a statement, the association, alongside other sidelined groups, claimed that the secret meetings were held without the knowledge or consent of alliance partners who had spent days organising the protest.
“The Motorist Association of Kenya (MAK), together with all transport stakeholders who were sidelined in the recent negotiations, wishes to strongly condemn the dishonest and underhanded actions of a few industry players who secretly called off the planned transport sector strike without the knowledge or consent of their partners,” MAK stated.
Reports indicate that the planned strike had united groups from the truck owners, trailer operators, taxi and cab associations, bus companies, tour drivers, digital boda boda riders, cargo transporters, pickup owners, private motorists, and ordinary Kenyans alike.
However , after secret talks with the government, the group that broke ranks returned with a Ksh10 reduction on diesel alone.
According to the statement, some individuals held covert meetings with the Energy and Petroleum Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi, Roads and Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, and Nairobi Governor Johnsohn Sakaja on May 19 in direct violation of the alliance’s rules, which required government officials to face the full coalition.
“Unfortunately, as has happened before, a few familiar actors went behind the backs of everyone else and held covert meetings with government officials, including Cabinet Secretaries and the Governor of Nairobi,” the association added.
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