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Nairobi Commuters to Pay Up to Ksh50 More as Matatu Fares Jump 25% on High Fuel Prices

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Commuters in Nairobi and other parts of the country are set to pay higher fares after the Matatu Owners Association announced a 25 per cent fare increase.

In a press briefing on Wednesday, April 15, a day after the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) increased petrol and diesel prices by Ksh28 and Ksh40, respectively.

The owners argue that the recent hike, especially in diesel prices, is unsustainable for them as operators, noting that it has eaten into their daily earnings, forcing them to adjust fares to remain in operation.

“We agreed that we are going to increase fares by 25 per cent. If you check, for example, in Nairobi, the vehicle gives you about Ksh 8,000 per day, and an increase of diesel by Ksh 40 is going to take almost Ksh 2,400 per vehicle per day and so our profit is going to go down,” a representative of the association said.

Matatus during rush hour at the Fig Tree bus stop along Thika Super Highway, November 12, 2019.
Matatus during rush hour at the Fig Tree bus stop along Thika Super Highway, November 12, 2019.
Kenyans.co.ke

“We are urging members of the public to understand that it is not our wish to go that direction. It is above us. We are urging the government to bring back the subsidy,” the official added.

The adjustment is expected to immediately affect common routes across the country, especially in Nairobi and its surrounding estates.

New Matatu Fares

For many commuters who rely on matatus daily, the 25 per cent fare increase translates into hundreds of shillings more in weekly transport expenses at a time when households are already grappling with the high cost of living.

On Thika Road, commuters who typically pay a flat rate of about Ksh100 during rush hours will now part with approximately Ksh125 following the hike. This will affect residents of Roysambu, Mirema, Garden City, Kasarani, Mwiki, Githurai, and Zimmerman, who rely heavily on public transport to access the Nairobi CBD daily. Off-peak fares that previously stood at around Ksh70 on the same route could also rise to roughly Ksh90, further tightening commuter budgets.

Generally, in Nairobi, fares that currently stand at Ksh80 from the CBD to Kawangware, Kibera, Kangemi, and parts of Mathare are expected to increase to about Ksh100. These routes are heavily used by workers, students, and small-scale traders, meaning the hike will significantly impact thousands of daily commuters.

Trips that cost Ksh100, such as those from Nairobi CBD to Nyayo Estate, Embakasi, Pipeline, and Donholm, are likely to increase to approximately Ksh125 to Ksh130. Similarly, commuters heading to areas such as Umoja, Kayole, and Komarock, who also pay within this range, will experience similar increases.

Routes currently charging around Ksh150, including those to Rongai, Ngong, Ruaka, Kikuyu, and Thika during peak hours, could jump to nearly Ksh190 following the 25 per cent adjustment. This will particularly affect workers who travel long distances into the city daily.

Commuters of shorter routes will likely not be spared as trips that currently cost Ksh50, such as those between CBD and South B, South C, Industrial Area, and Westlands during off-peak hours, could increase to about Ksh60 to Ksh65. Meanwhile, short-distance fares of around Ksh30 in areas such as Eastleigh, Ngara, Pangani, and Parklands could rise to roughly Ksh40.

Besides the daily commuters, several operators, especially those on Nairobi-to-upcountry routes, have also adjusted their fares following the fuel price hike.

Travel costs from Nairobi to Migori, for some bus companies, have increased from around Ksh1,400 to Ksh1,800 following EPRA’s latest fuel review. The cost of travel from Nairobi to Mombasa has also risen to about Ksh2,000 from around Ksh1,500, while fares from Mombasa to upcountry destinations have climbed to approximately Ksh3,000 from Ksh2,500.

Before the official communication from matatu owners, commuters have constantly raised complaints about what they say are some matatu fares above the set 25 per cent increase, raising questions on how the figure will be enforced.

The Matatu Owners Association is now calling on the government to consider reinstating fuel subsidies to cushion both operators and commuters from further financial strain.

They argue that without intervention, fare hikes may become frequent whenever fuel prices rise, further burdening Kenyans who depend on public transport for work, school, and business-Kenyans.co.ke.

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National Assembly dismisses claims Sacco Bill is being rushed through Parliament

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The National Assembly has dismissed reports that the Sacco Societies (Amendment) Bill, 2025, is being rushed through Parliament, saying the proposed law is still undergoing public participation.

Through infographics shared on Facebook on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, Parliament said misleading information had been circulating online about the Bill, formally known as the Sacco Societies (Amendment) Bill, National Assembly Bill No. 32 of 2025.

Bill was published in June 2025

The National Assembly said the Bill was published on June 30, 2025, and had remained under consideration for more than 12 months.

It rejected suggestions that lawmakers were fast-tracking the proposed amendments without allowing enough time for scrutiny.

According to Parliament, the lengthy period between the publication of the Bill and its current consideration shows that it is not being rushed.

Bill currently before the National Assembly committee

The Sacco Societies Amendment Bill is currently before the National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Trade, Industry and Cooperatives.

The committee is conducting public participation and receiving views from members of the public and other stakeholders.

The submissions are expected to help the committee assess the proposed amendments before presenting its recommendations to the National Assembly.

What happens after public participation?

After the public participation process is concluded, the committee will prepare a report containing its findings and recommendations.

Parliament said the views submitted by members of the public and stakeholders could inform further amendments to the Bill.

The proposed legislation will then proceed to the National Assembly for consideration by MPs.

This means the Bill has not yet completed the legislative process and could still be amended based on the submissions received during public participation.

Bill will be forwarded to Senate

The National Assembly also clarified that the Bill will not proceed directly for presidential assent after being passed by MPs.

Because the proposed legislation concerns county governments, it will be forwarded to the Senate for consideration in accordance with the Constitution.

The Senate will be required to consider the Bill before it can complete the parliamentary process and be presented for presidential assent.

Parliament urged members of the public to rely on verified information about the Sacco Societies Amendment Bill instead of unconfirmed reports circulating online-PeopleDaily.Digital.

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Digital house-hunting platform bets on technology to reshape Nairobi’s rental market

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NAIROBI, Kenya, July 14 – A growing shift towards digital property searches is changing how Kenyans find rental homes, with real estate technology platform Reemio positioning itself as a solution to longstanding challenges.

This included fraudulent listings, costly house searches and limited market transparency.

As younger, tech-savvy consumers turn to online platforms to make purchasing decisions, the company says digitizing the rental process could improve efficiency for both tenants and landlords while lowering transaction costs.

“Our niche is to solve the problem of house hunting and also bring trust into that process. We use technology to connect renters and landlords,” said Kimani.

Kimani said the platform seeks to address inefficiencies that have traditionally made house hunting expensive and time-consuming.

Instead of physically visiting multiple properties, users can browse verified listings, take virtual tours, compare amenities and access information on additional costs such as water charges, electricity bills and service fees before scheduling physical viewings.

Beyond improving convenience for tenants, Reemio argues that technology can help landlords reduce marketing costs, shorten vacancy periods and reach a wider pool of prospective tenants, including Kenyans living abroad.

The company says its platform also generates market data that can help property owners and developers better understand evolving consumer preferences, although its long-term impact will depend on wider adoption of digital property platforms and continued investment in trustworthy online real estate marketplaces-Capitalfm.co.ke.

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ORPP edges two parties closer to joining Kenya’s political arena

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The Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP) has issued a notice for the provisional registration of two proposed political parties, opening a seven-day window for members of the public to lodge objections.

In a notice published by the Registrar of Political Parties and Chief Executive Officer J.C. Lorionokou, the ORPP announced that the Social Democratic Party of Kenya (SDP) and the People’s Alternative Voice (PAV) are in the process of being provisionally registered under Section 5(2)(a) of the Political Parties Act.

The ORPP, a State office established under Section 33 of the Political Parties Act and Article 260 of the Constitution, said its mandate includes registering and regulating political parties as well as administering the Political Parties Fund.

According to the notice, the Social Democratic Party of Kenya (SDP) has adopted pink, white and sky blue as its official party colours, with the slogan “Change – Mageuzi.” The party’s symbol is the acronym SDP enclosed inside a circle.

The party’s listed founder members are Nyangong’ Duncan Nyumbah, Omwandasi Jared Dishon and Kinyua Mary Wacuka.

The founders of PAV are listed as Odenyo John Fitzgerald Elly, Nyando Rachel Mmboga and Ali Hussein Kiplangat.

The Registrar said particulars of the two proposed political parties have been published on the ORPP website to facilitate public scrutiny as required by law.

Any person wishing to oppose the provisional registration of either party has seven days from the date of publication of the notice to submit objections either in writing or in person to the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties at Lion Place, Fourth Floor, Waiyaki Way at Karuna Close, Nairobi.

The provisional registration marks the first step in the legal process of establishing a political party in Kenya.

Kenya has 91 fully registered political parties. The ORPP’s updated register indicates that, as of January 2026, there were 91 parties that had met the legal requirements for full registration under the Political Parties Act-STAR.

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