Nairobians were on Monday morning forced to walk across the city to access the CBD as the ban on PSVs took effect.
Law enforcement authorities were on the road from as early as 4am to prevent matatus from picking and dropping passegers in teh city centre.
Police mounted road blocks at the designated termini – Muthurwa, Muranga Road Fig Tree A, Desai Road, Ngara Road, Hakati, Railways and Central Bus Station – to ensure no matatus went beyond the allowed points.
At the City Stadium roundabout, which serves Jogoo Road, police parked their Landcruiser across the road barring PSVs from taking the CBD-bound lane into the city.
Stranded city dwellers were seen along Murang’a road, Landhies road and other access roads treking their way to their various places of work, a pity for those who needed to connect with matatus on other termini.
One commuter narrated the agony of having to walk from City Stadium to Fig Tree in Ngara in order to board a matatu to Westlands.
Many people have faulted the county governments decision to implement the ban without providing alternative methods of accessing the CBD.
Matatu operators have at the same time cried foul, adding that the eleven termini designated by the county cannot accommodate all Matatus.
For those walking, one is encouraged to do so on the right side of the road to in order to be alert to oncoming traffic and avoid being run over.
Photos have flooded the internet showing people sharing the roads with vehicles as they seek to make it to work on time.
All matatu’s plying Thika Road and Kiambu Road are picking and dropping passengers at Fig Tree Terminus B, whereas, those that use Waiyaki Way including the upcountry travellers are stationed at Park Road Terminus.
Vehicles plying Mombasa Road and Lang’ata Road are accessible at Hakati Terminus while those from Ngong Road are converged at Railway Terminus
In other routes, public vehicles plying Jogoo and Lusaka roads are using the Muthurwa Terminus. However, high capacity PSVs from upcountry will still continue using their Machakos Terminus.
#MatatuCBDBan We need to think twice before we implement anything. pic.twitter.com/JXMKZCUdEO
— Emmanuel Chumba Paparazi (@MsaniiManu) December 3, 2018