Kennedy Kaunda, CEO of the East Africa Tour Guides and Drivers Association (EATGDA), has refuted claims that he or other transport representatives accepted a “brown envelope” to cancel a planned strike regarding fuel prices.
Kaunda emphasized that no agreement has been reached, and commuters and operators continue to face high fuel costs. He expressed concern that many vehicles operate with few passengers as transport costs become unaffordable.
“We showed goodwill during the past week. I have not seen any brown envelope. Commuters are struggling; many vehicles travel empty,” he stated.
These claims arise amid allegations that some transport sector members were bribed to halt protests against rising fuel prices. Kaunda noted that the sector cannot afford another strike, especially with the tourism high season approaching.
He clarified that discussions with government officials did not yield a final agreement, despite a joint press briefing following the meeting.
“We are preparing for high season with incoming tourists. If our matatus stop, there will be no movement. The dialogue we had was a show of goodwill, but we had not reached an agreement. We planned to postpone discussions until Tuesday or Wednesday,” he explained.
Kaunda mentioned that some Kenyans have been questioning him about the alleged payout after the meeting gained attention online.
“While walking today, many motorists stopped me, asking about the brown envelope. It was overwhelming,” he shared.
The controversy followed a tense meeting with Energy CS Opiyo Wandayi, Transport CS Davis Chirchir, and representatives from the matatu sector. A viral clip from the meeting showed Kaunda asserting that no agreement had been made, leading to significant online attention and the phrase “with all due respect.”
In a follow-up interview, Kaunda reiterated that his comments aimed to promote clarity and accountability during negotiations.
“I didn’t expect this situation,” he remarked.
Kaunda explained that transport stakeholders and senior government officials engaged in nearly five hours of discussions about fuel pricing before deciding to reconvene for further consultations.
“The consensus was to postpone and return for more discussions, as we had not accepted the offer presented,” he concluded.
