By Benadeta Mwaura - Reporter
Kenya, May 18, 2026 - Hundreds of parents across Nairobi, Kiambu and its neighbouring counties were left stranded Monday morning after school transport services failed to operate following fears surrounding the anticipated nationwide matatu demonstrations linked to the ongoing fuel crisis.
The disruption saw many children remain at home despite parents having prepared them for school as usual, only to receive last-minute communication that school buses would not be operating.
Between 5am and 8am, hours usually marked by heavy movement of school buses across residential estates, roads remained unusually quiet. In many areas, only a few tuk-tuks were visible, with significantly fewer motorcycles and almost no public service vehicles operating.
Several schools later confirmed that they were unable to dispatch buses because drivers and conductors could not access the schools in time amid uncertainty in the transport sector.
At Kiambu Hillcrest Academy, management informed parents that learning activities relying on the school transport system would remain stalled for the day.
“We apologise to all parents and children for this inconvenience, and we promise to make the right preparations in advance moving forward,” the school director said in a communication to parents.
The disruption follows mounting tension in the transport sector after operators threatened nationwide demonstrations over the ongoing fuel shortage crisis that has affected parts of Nairobi and other towns.
Several companies and organisations across Nairobi also issued advisories to employees Sunday evening, encouraging staff to work from home in anticipation of possible transport disruptions and demonstrations linked to the fuel crisis.
The notices, circulated internally through emails and staff communication platforms, warned workers about likely traffic paralysis, reduced public transport, and heightened security concerns across the Nairobi Metropolitan region.
One advisory seen by Dawan informed employees that a “nationwide strike and peaceful protests” were expected on Monday following the recent increase in fuel prices announced by the government.
The communication warned staff to anticipate disruptions to normal traffic flow, closure of some routes, reduced public transport availability and possible delays caused by demonstrations involving matatu operators, boda boda associations, digital cab drivers, cargo transporters and other fuel-dependent sectors.
“Work from home is recommended,” part of the advisory read.
Employees were also advised to avoid large gatherings, monitor media and security updates closely, maintain high situational awareness and expect longer travel diversions for those forced to commute physically.
The work-from-home advisories reflected growing concern within the private sector over the potential economic disruption that could arise from the fuel crisis and transport uncertainty.
For many businesses, especially in Nairobi, where thousands rely on public transport daily, remote working appeared to be the safest option to minimize operational interruptions while protecting staff from possible chaos on the roads.
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The development further highlighted how fears over transport paralysis had begun affecting not just schools and households, but also formal workplaces, business operations, and overall productivity across the city.
Earlier, the National Police Service (NPS) issued a statement assuring Kenyans of security and urging the public to continue with normal activities despite reports of a planned strike.
In the statement signed by NPS spokesperson Muchiri Nyaga, police said they had “enhanced security measures” and warned that any disruptive conduct would be dealt with firmly according to the law.
“The public is urged to remain calm, continue with their daily activities, and cooperate with law enforcement officers,” the statement read.
However, for many parents, the situation on the ground painted a different picture.
Ann Muthoni, a parent at Brainstorm Academy, said she was shocked after realising too late that school transport would also be affected by the paralysis in the wider public transport system.
“I totally forgot that school buses are part of the general transport system and they are affected as much as the rest of the transport,” she said while waiting outside her gate with her child fully prepared for school.
“It’s hard to imagine that fuel is the real driver of the economy of this country,” she added.
Muthoni noted that even people working short distances from home were now hesitant to travel due to the uncertainty surrounding transport availability.
“I work just around here but even I cannot risk leaving the house. I can’t help but imagine that most businesses across the country will remain closed because people have no way of getting to them,” she said.
“How will they even get customers?” she posed.
The school transport paralysis comes amid growing concerns over fuel shortages that have hit several petrol stations across Nairobi and other towns in recent days. The situation has been linked to delays in fuel clearance at the Port of Mombasa, triggering panic buying and fears of wider economic disruption.
Transport operators had earlier warned that continued fuel supply challenges would cripple movement across the country, affecting businesses, schools, and daily economic activity.
For many parents, Monday morning became a vivid reminder of how deeply transport and fuel systems are intertwined with everyday life, from education and business operations to household routines.
As uncertainty continues, many schools and parents are now anxiously waiting to see whether transport operations will normalize in the coming days or whether the disruptions could extend further into the school week.