At least 11 people were arrested in Nairobi on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, as Kenyan youths took to the streets under the hashtag #RejectFuelPrices, staging demonstrations against sharp increases in pump prices that have deepened the country’s cost-of-living crisis.
The protests came days after the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) announced fuel price increases effective April 15, with super petrol rising by Sh28.69 and diesel by Sh40.30 per litre in Nairobi, driven by rising global costs linked to Middle East tensions and a spike in shipping charges.
Retail prices were pushed to Ksh 197.60 for super petrol, Ksh 196.63 for diesel, and Ksh 152.78 for kerosene. The government moved to contain the fallout by cutting the value added tax on petroleum products from 16 percent to 8 percent, bringing petrol down by Sh9.37 and diesel by Sh10.21 per litre in Nairobi. But the partial relief did little to cool public anger, with Kenyans still paying significantly more per litre than before the hike, as matatu fare increases were already in place and traders warned higher fuel costs would be passed to consumers.
Nairobi Regional Police Commander Issa Mohamud confirmed the arrest and detention of 11 protesters, with the arrests made near the National Archives where anti-riot officers broke up gatherings linked to the demonstrations. Police presence was significantly heightened across the Central Business District (CBD), although business activity and movement remained largely normal.
Mohamud had earlier dismissed the protests as unlawful, stating that the National Police Service had not received the mandatory 14-day prior notice required for planned processions.
The demonstrations were organised by a coalition of Generation Z activists alongside opposition-linked groups, seeking to pressure authorities to address the economic strain facing many households. Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, whose seven-day ultimatum demanding a tax reduction had expired hours before the protests, blamed the government for the price increases. The government attributed the hikes to global factors, maintaining that domestic policy alone could not resolve the situation.
Turnout remained limited throughout the day, with analysts divided on whether the heavy police presence deterred participation or whether the partial VAT cut provided just enough relief to keep many citizens off the streets.
