Four reported killed, 30 injured, in Kenyan fuel price protests

Nationwide protests disrupt cities as fuel price hikes trigger unrest.At least four people have been killed and 30 injured in Kenya amid nationwide protests over sharply rising fuel prices.At least 348 people were arrested on Monday, according to Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen, as people gathered in the streets to show support for a nationwide public transport strike.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Kenya’s Sawe hailed at State House after historic marathonlist 2 of 3Why is piracy rising off Somalia again — and is the Iran war responsible?list 3 of 3Floods and landslides kill at least 18 in Kenyaend of listThe government will likely be wary, given that protests over the past two years have threatened to become uncontrollable, despite brutal crackdowns that killed dozens.“We lost four Kenyans in today’s ⁠violence, which also ⁠saw more than 30 ⁠people injured,” Murkomen said during a televised press conference.The streets leading towards Nairobi’s centre were deserted on Monday after Police fired tear gas at protesters, who had thrown stones and had blocked major roads with burning tyres, Al Jazeera’s Malcom Webb reported from the Kenyan capital.Strikes have affected major cities, including the capital and the southern city of Mombasa, where many people rely on bus services. Commuters in several towns were forced to walk long distances to work and school.Transport unions have demanded that the government reverse a recent fuel price increase. Kenya hiked retail fuel prices by as much as 23.5 percent last week, following a 24.2 percent rise last month.Higher fuel costs are now pushing prices of food and other basic goods, straining the resources of many already struggling in the country’s economy.“This demonstration has brought the city to a near standstill,” Webb said. “It started with the private bus operators, which provide most transport for hundreds of thousands of people commuting every day.”