Kennedy Kaunda Missing as President Ruto Holds Crunch Talks With Transport Operators in Mombasa
President William Ruto on Friday met transport sector representatives in Mombasa in an effort to calm tensions following days of nationwide protests over soaring fuel prices — but one notable figure was absent from the high-level talks.
Kennedy Kaunda, the Chief Executive Officer of the East Africa Tour Guides and Drivers Association (EATGDA), did not appear at the State House meeting despite emerging earlier this week as one of the most outspoken voices during negotiations between the government and transport operators.
Kaunda gained national attention after a dramatic exchange with Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi during a tense press briefing held on Tuesday, May 19, after closed-door discussions aimed at resolving the transport sector strike.
The protests, which have affected several parts of the country, were sparked by rising diesel and petrol prices, with transport operators warning that the increased fuel costs were crippling businesses and pushing operators to the brink.
Following nearly five hours of talks between government officials and industry stakeholders, Wandayi told reporters that progress had been made and suggested that discussions were moving toward a solution.
However, moments later, Kaunda interrupted the briefing and publicly rejected the government’s position, insisting that no agreement had been reached.
“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,” Kaunda declared.
The remarks immediately went viral online, with many Kenyans praising his defiant stance and accusing the government of attempting to prematurely declare the crisis resolved.
Images released from Friday’s State House meeting showed President Ruto posing for a group photograph alongside transport sector representatives before later addressing the media on measures aimed at easing tensions within the sector.
But Kaunda’s absence quickly sparked speculation on social media, with some questioning whether he had been deliberately left out of the meeting due to his earlier criticism of the government’s handling of the negotiations.
Neither State House officials nor representatives from the transport sector immediately explained why the EATGDA boss was absent from the discussions despite his prominent role during the earlier talks.
The meeting, held between Thursday, May 21, and Friday, May 22, in Mombasa, comes as pressure continues to mount on the government to address the rising cost of fuel and its wider impact on the economy.
Transport operators have argued that the continued increase in diesel prices has significantly raised operating costs, warning that the burden is ultimately being passed on to ordinary Kenyans through higher transport fares and increased commodity prices.
Kaunda’s “with all due respect” statement has since become one of the defining moments of the ongoing fuel crisis debate, further amplifying public frustration over the rising cost of living.
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