Who will Blink First? Gov’t Or Transport Operators...

Good evening. It’s Brian from The Kenyan Wall Street.  

The transport strike over high fuel costs, which kicked off yesterday, has been suspended for one week after emergency talks between the government and transport operators, easing fears of a prolonged nationwide shutdown that had emptied major roads and stranded commuters across several towns.

The truce came after the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) issued an emergency revision cutting Nairobi diesel prices by KSh10.06 per litre to KSh232.86, while sharply increasing kerosene prices to narrow the gap blamed for rising fears of fuel adulteration. 

Operators had demanded a much deeper reduction, arguing diesel prices above KSh240 had made fares and cargo transport economically unsustainable, and many are warning the strike could quickly resume if talks fail. The protests, which brought together matatus, truckers, boda bodas and ride-hailing drivers in one of the largest coordinated transport actions in recent years, turned deadly after clashes and road barricades erupted in multiple towns. 

Government officials say global oil market disruptions linked to the Iran conflict pushed import costs sharply higher, forcing the state to absorb billions through fuel stabilization measures to prevent even steeper pump prices. Yet the revised pricing structure has also exposed the scale of taxes and levies embedded in every litre of fuel sold in Kenya. 

All eyes will now turn to the negotiations to determine who will blink first : A government in a fiscal bind, or the mulish transport operators who cannot afford further slides in their revenue margins?

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By Brian Nzomo

Kenya’s proposed Finance Bill 2026 is tightening the screws on multinational companies by expanding reporting requirements and giving tax authorities a clearer view into how global firms move profits across borders. The reforms target the complex internal pricing arrangements often used between subsidiaries and parent companies, an area that has triggered a string of high-profile tax disputes in recent years. The changes would also allow Kenyan subsidiaries to file country-by-country reports in some cases, while narrowing loopholes around who qualifies as the ultimate parent entity within a global group. Behind the technical language is a broader push by the government to tax multinational firms based more closely on the real scale of their operations inside Kenya.

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With Profits Up by 31%, Equity Bank Eyes 15 Countries

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By Fred Obura

HACO Industries says losing its lucrative manufacturing deal with BIC nearly destroyed the business overnight, forcing the Kenyan firm into a radical reinvention that now shapes its Africa-first strategy. Managing Director Marianne Musangi argues the experience exposed the risks African companies face when they depend too heavily on multinational partners whose priorities can suddenly shift away from the continent. HACO has since rebuilt itself around homegrown brands, continent-wide sourcing networks, and new manufacturing operations in Ghana, while betting heavily on the promise of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to unlock regional industrial growth. But beneath the turnaround story lies a deeper warning about the obstacles still choking African manufacturing; from punishing electricity costs and border delays to fragmented logistics systems that can leave goods stuck in transit for weeks.

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