Comedian and activist Eric Omondi took to the streets of the Nairobi central business district to protest high fuel prices by dumping dozens of empty yellow jerricans on the road, drawing the immediate attention of both citizens and police.
In a video circulating online, the comedian is seen unloading the jerricans onto the main highway while asking onlookers to assist him.
"And if fuel prices do not drop by next Monday, we will declare a total shutdown," Omondi said.
He then boarded a motorcycle taxi to leave the scene of the demonstration.
"Life in Kenya is as hectic as these empty jerricans. Reduce fuel prices," he shouted.
A crowd quickly gathered around him, chanting anti-government slogans and shouting that the current administration should only serve one term.
Police officers were deployed to the scene shortly after to clear the blockage and remove the jerricans from the road.
During the demonstration, several young men joined the activist in arranging the plastic containers along the tarmac as curious pedestrians stopped to record the scene on their phones. Some passing motorists honked their horns in solidarity with the protest.
The comedian called on Kenyans to join him in future demonstrations if fuel prices are not reduced, insisting that the financial burden has become unbearable for families already struggling with rent, school fees, and daily expenses.
The dramatic protest comes just days after the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority announced a sharp increase in fuel prices in its latest monthly review.
The regulator raised the price of Super Petrol by Sh16.65 per litre and Diesel by Sh46.29 per litre. The adjustment pushed fuel costs in Nairobi to over Sh214 per litre for petrol and about Sh242 per litre for diesel.
The rising prices have sparked widespread outrage across the country, particularly among public transport operators who warned that the hike could cripple the sector and further drive up the general cost of living.
Several transport cooperatives across the country have already grounded their vehicles, arguing that the new fuel prices make their businesses unsustainable.
The comedian has previously used symbolic items like chains, cooking pots, and wheelbarrows to highlight economic hardships. His latest demonstration mirrors the deep frustrations of ordinary citizens struggling to afford transport, food, and other basic commodities.