“With all due respect…” Tourist Guide Association boss bold rebuke leaves Wandayi, Chirchir speechless

The talks held Monday night at Transcom House ended without an agreement - and a rather dramatic climax - after matatu stakeholders rejected a government proposal to lower diesel prices by Ksh.10, insisting that only a substantial reduction would convince them to call off the strike.

The Transport Sector Alliance subsequently announced that the industrial action that paralysed transport services across the country on Monday would continue into Tuesday.

During a joint press briefing after the meeting, Wandayi initially suggested that progress had been made, particularly on concerns around fuel adulteration linked to the widening gap between diesel and kerosene prices.

“One of these issues was the matter of possible adulteration of diesel due to the huge disparity in the prices of diesel and kerosene,” Wandayi said.

“We have come to the understanding that for prudence purposes and to eliminate the risk of fuel adulteration on account of this huge disparity and to save the motor vehicles operating using diesel from possible malfunction, we are going to bridge the gap between the prices of diesel and petrol.”

"That would mean that the price of kerosene would have to go higher as that of diesel comes lower to bridge that gap,” he added.

However, before he could leave, Matatu Owners Association (MOA) officials interjected and rejected the deal, saying the negotiations were still premature and no deal had been reached.

They challenged the CS to be honest and tell the country the truth.

"We have not agreed to anything. They gave us 30, according to what they are going to discuss with EPRA, and we had stated 35 up to 30, that was the communication. With all due respect, we respect everyone here; we did not come to set anybody up. We are law-abiding citizens. So there's no deal. The strike is still on!" said Kennedy Kaunda, Group CEO, Tourist Guide Association. 

As he boldly made the remarks, the two Cabinet Secretaries listened awkwardly, as they stared blankly at the cameras, with the Energy CS Opiyo Wandayi appearing visibly embarrassed and even mortified.

As a result, the meeting that had initially been intended to stop the matatu strike ended in disarray, with many Kenyans online praising the representative for being fearless, honest, and firm.

Many Kenyans online praised the matatu representative for his courage, firmness, and willingness to confront government officials directly and to 'stand on business'.

X user Protus Onyango said, "If MPs had the courage of this man-who has used a minute to stand with millions of Kenyans-they could have not allowed this govt to run roughshod on the electorate. But they are selfish & only think about themselves, families & cronies."

Another user said, "The circus by the so-called experts continues. How can people with no moral decency lead Kenya out of this fuel crisis when their own incompetence is what pushed the country here in the first place? A major disappointment, though not unexpected, from the CS for Energy and the Treasury."

On her part, Nelly Githambo wrote, "The Cabinet Secretaries are surprised they are being read for filth on live TV. The government is so used to having its own way they thought the matatu guys would just play along. The narrative here would have been the matatu welfare agreed but then want to hold the government hostage tomorrow. Protect this man at all costs. He's the true embodiment of Kenyan heroism."

Yet another user wrote, "This is the best use of “With all due respect". Opiyo and Chirchir are clearly not used the being told the truth to their faces. They look utterly shocked."

With the Matatu Owners Association directing operators to keep vehicles off the roads for a second consecutive day on Tuesday, the prolonged standoff has already left thousands of commuters stranded, disrupted business operations, and affected learning in several parts of the country as tensions over the fuel price crisis continue to escalate.