Defiant e-taxi drivers’ vehicles vandalized amid nationwide pay protest

NAIROBI, Kenya July 15 – A section of Public Service Vehicle (PSV) drivers in the ride-hailing taxi service industry on Monday faced severe consequences for defying calls to join an industrial action.

Their striking colleagues damaged and destroyed their vehicles.

Drivers from services like Uber, Bolt, Faras, and other e-taxi applications began a nationwide strike on Monday, protesting against poor pay and demanding better working conditions.

In Nairobi, those who chose to defy the strike directive found their tyres deflated, and some had theirs’ completely removed, rendering their vehicles grounded in different parts of the city and causing financial losses.

This isn’t the first instance of e-taxi drivers resorting to industrial action.

During their last protest in 2023, former Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen had pledged to address the pay issue comprehensively.

Drivers frequently cite high commission rates and high discounts given to customers as major grievances, leading to their dissatisfaction with lower pay despite increasing ride volumes.

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