Nairobi protest planned for Monday over high fuel prices and soaring cost of living

In a letter dated Thursday, October 22, which was received at the Police Service Headquarters on the same day, the coalition said the march would begin along Kimathi Street in Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD) and proceed until State House. 

“We, the Coalition of Human Rights Defenders, hereby notify your office of our intention to hold a peaceful demonstration on Monday, 26 October 2026, to protest the high cost of fuel and its impact on the cost of living The assembly point will be Kimathi Street, with the intended destination being State House, Nairobi,” the letter stated.

According to the organisers, between 500 and 900 people were expected to take part in the demonstrations.

The coalition pledged to maintain peace, ensure orderly participation and respect the rights of members of the public throughout the march. 

“We undertake to promote peaceful and orderly participation and to respect the rights of the public throughout the demonstration. We submit this notification for your attention and necessary coordination in accordance with the law,” the coalition wrote.

The announcement comes days after protests against rising fuel prices were held along the same street on Tuesday, October 20.

During those demonstrations, Citizen TV journalist Ode Francis was temporarily arrested by police while covering the protests, with investigations launched after images from the scene showed plainclothes officers dragging him along Kimathi Street near the Kenyatta Avenue junction before bundling him into a waiting police Land Cruiser. 

Plans for demonstrations follow the latest fuel price increases announced by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) for the October-November cycle, which raised pump prices in Nairobi to Ksh226.96 per litre for petrol, Ksh227.76 for diesel and Ksh219.87 for kerosene.

The increases have drawn opposition from various groups, including motorists, public transport operators and ride-hailing drivers, who say the higher costs are putting additional pressure on business costs and household incomes. 

Despite circulating threats of protests, Matatu Owners Association president Albert Karakacha ruled out an industry strike, saying operators would continue running their businesses despite the higher diesel prices, with commuters likely to bear much of the impact.

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