Nairobi woke up to a scene of anarchy this Monday as the city’s transport arteries were severed by a militant matatu strike. But in the chaos, a new order emerged: the ruthlessness of the market, dictated by the very boda boda riders the strike meant to condemn.

The standoff was triggered by matatu operators grounding their fleets to protest the "lawlessness" of the boda boda sector—specifically the torching of PSVs during accidents. However, the strike backfired spectacularly on the common wananchi. Instead of bringing order, it created a vacuum that was instantly filled by motorcycle taxis charging extortionate rates. The city center became a battleground of teargas, stranded pedestrians, and opportunism, exposing the fragility of Nairobi’s public transport infrastructure.

The Anatomy of Chaos

The paralysis was total. Major corridors like Thika Road, Mombasa Road, and Jogoo Road were parking lots. In the CBD, the police resorted to removing number plates from matatus that blocked Haile Selassie Avenue, a desperate measure to clear the gridlock. The Federation of Public Transport Sector had attempted to call off the strike on Sunday, but hardliners in the Matatu Owners Association defied the order, proving that the sector is far from a unified block.

• The Spark: The escalating vigilantism where boda boda riders torch vehicles involved in accidents with motorcycles has pushed matatu owners to the brink. They demanded government protection, vowing weekly strikes.
• The Response: Police deployment was heavy, with running battles reported in downtown Nairobi. The state’s inability to mediate this conflict before it hit the streets is a damning indictment of the Ministry of Transport.
• The Victim: As always, it was the commuter. thousands were forced to trek kilometers to work, while others paid up to Sh500 for trips that usually cost Sh50.

This strike has laid bare the deep-seated animosity between the two dominant forces of Kenyan transport. It is a war for dominance on the tarmac. The matatus, the old guard, feel under siege by the agile, unregulated swarm of motorbikes. The boda bodas, meanwhile, operate with a sense of impunity that borders on a parallel government.

A City Held Hostage

The government’s silence is deafening. While the police tow vehicles, the root cause—the lack of regulation and the culture of mob justice—remains unaddressed. Nairobi cannot function when its workforce is held hostage by transport cartels.

As the sun sets on a day of teargas and trekking, the only clear winner is the boda boda rider who doubled his daily income. [...](asc_slot://start-slot-8)For the rest of Nairobi, it is a stark reminder that in the absence of a reliable state-run transit system, we are all at the mercy of the chaos we have allowed to flourish.