Taxi drivers drawn from Uber, Bolt and Faras have been thrown into mourning following the death of their colleague, Mark Kazungu, who was found dead inside his vehicle in Donholm, Nairobi.
According to the Unity of Uber, Bolt and Faras Facebook group, Kazungu lost his life while on duty on June 19, 2026, with fellow drivers attributing his death to severe exhaustion caused by long working hours.
The drivers say low earnings have forced many of them to work unsustainably long hours to meet high platform commissions, vehicle rental costs and rising fuel expenses, putting their health and lives at risk.
“This tragedy and the escalating tension are directly related to current working conditions, unfair pricing models and depressed fare rates imposed by dominant application platforms like Uber Kenya and Bolt Kenya,” the drivers said in a statement.
On June 29, drivers from Nairobi and neighbouring towns, including Thika, gathered at the exact spot in Donholm where Kazungu died for a candle-lighting ceremony in his honour.
They later held a vigil before staging a peaceful procession to the Ministry of Transport headquarters to demand government intervention.
According to the drivers, the march was meant to highlight concerns over driver welfare, fair pricing and safety in the ride-hailing industry.
The drivers also called for the implementation of government directives aimed at improving their working conditions.
“If we don’t check, we need to know what is in that document because they may give us with one hand and take away with another,” one of the drivers’ leaders said.
Kazungu’s death has reignited debate over the working conditions of ride-hailing drivers, with many calling for reforms to ensure fair compensation and protect drivers from excessive workloads.
