The smoking wreckage of 21 Public Service Vehicles (PSVs) has ignited a fierce standoff in Kenya’s transport sector, but the National Police Service (NPS) claims the true arsonists are hiding in the shadows. In a startling intelligence briefing, authorities have dismissed the narrative of a simple turf war, pointing instead to "criminal gangs" infiltrating the boda boda sector.

As the Matatu Owners Association (MOA) threatens a paralyzing nationwide strike slated for Monday, February 2, 2026, the stakes have never been higher. The narrative until now has been binary: matatus versus boda bodas. However, the NPS revelation introduces a sinister third player—organized syndicates weaponizing the chaos to extort and terrorize.

The Anatomy of the Crisis

The statistics are damning. According to Kushian Muchiri, CEO of the Federation of Public Transport Sector, over 21 vehicles have been incinerated in just three months. This is not random vandalism; it is a calculated campaign of economic sabotage. The NPS briefing highlights:

• Infiltration: Criminal elements posing as riders to instigate violence at accident scenes.
• The Spark: Minor traffic altercations are being rapidly escalated into mob justice events by these coordinated groups.
• The Target: PSVs, the backbone of Nairobi’s commuter economy, are being systematically destroyed to instill fear.

This intelligence aligns with long-held suspicions that the boda boda sector, ungoverned and sprawling, has become a trojan horse for urban militias. The burning of a matatu is no longer a spontaneous act of rage; it is a signal.

The Standoff

Matatu owners are not pacified by the police's distinction. For them, a burnt bus is a burnt investment, regardless of whether the hand holding the match belongs to a rider or a gangster. "We will withdraw our vehicles," threatened MOA Chairperson Albert Karakacha. "If the government cannot protect our property, we will not operate."

The threat of a strike hangs over Nairobi like a storm cloud. A paralysis of the PSV sector would strand millions, cripple the city's economy, and likely lead to civil unrest. The police are now in a race against time to dismantle the gangs before Monday's deadline.

A Sector Under Siege

The CEO of the Federation, Kushian Muchiri, has termed the situation "untenable." The burning of vehicles violates the sanctity of private property and the rule of law. "We are being targeted," Muchiri stated, his voice reflecting the frustration of an industry that feels abandoned by the state.

As the clock ticks toward the strike, the NPS must do more than issue statements; they must produce arrests. The public is watching, and the charred skeletons of matatus on Nairobi's roads stand as a grim testament to the lawlessness threatening to engulf the transport sector.