Kenya's cab riders will soon pay more for their trips if ride-hailing apps Uber and Bolt comply with the government's directive to adopt new pricing and payment standards. The directive, issued by Kenya's Ministry for Roads And Transport, comes after the Transport Workers Union-Kenya TAWU threatened to sue both companies, claiming "exploitative and unfair labour practices", and after cab drivers around the country downed their tools and hit the streets in protest in early November 2025.
The conflict between ride-hailing apps and their drivers has been a long one drivers have consistently argued existing fares are too low to sustain both their work and their livelihoods. Many drivers find it difficult to pay basic monthly bills, or to service, maintain and fuel their vehicles to appropriate standards. Justus Mutua, spokesperson for the Amalgamation of Digital Taxis Associations in Kenya, said in a statement that this price suppression has resulted in a spiral of reduced earnings, overwork, loan defaults, and a rise in vehicle repossessions.
This week, the Government finally sided with the drivers. The Ministry of Transport has directed app owners to comply immediately with the pricing recommendations issued by the Automobile Association of Kenya AAK starting 2023.
