Barely a day after the Matatu CBD ban issued by the county government took effect, Nairobi Senator, Sakaja Johnson has now taken legal action to stop the ban that prohibits public service vehicles from accessing the city center and has seen many residents of Nairobi walk for long distances between where they alight and their destinations.
According to the Nairobi Senator, he has been forced to take the matter to court because the county government has refused to listen and reason with him.
I’m in court over this matter. The ban must be lifted. County refused to listen to reason all along. You don’t ban matatus before providing alternative means for the people.
— Sakaja Johnson (@SakajaJohnson) December 3, 2018
“I’m in court over this matter. The ban must be lifted. County refused to listen to reason all along. You don’t ban matatus before providing alternative means for the people,” read a tweet by the Senator, responding to a tweet by Nairobi resident asking him to do something about the ban.
Sakaja added that although leaders are expected to work together, there was no consultation between him and the office of Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko.
Sakaja Johnson has now filed a case in court seeking to suspend the Matatu CBD Ban citing lack of public participation and alternatives. Sakaja also said that the ban is ill-timed and lacked planning by City Hall.
The Senator said that the action by the county government to ban matatus from the CBD has come as a disadvantage to many Kenyans especially Nairobi residents who feel betrayed and are forced to walk long distances to get to their offices.
He further said that he had been informed of a pregnant woman who collapsed as she tired to find her way to her destination after walking for too long. The Senator added that the county government has its priorities wrong arguing that private cars are the bigger problem and those are what need alternatives.
“Our priorities are wrong! We must do a mass transit system. We have to do BRTs. BRT is not just doing lines on Thika Road,” he said.
Speaking at a Church service in Deliverance Church Lang’ata, Senator Sakaja said that the county government ought to provide residents of Nairobi with better alternatives adding that the ban was premature and not well planned.
As I said yesterday and before. The move by @MikeSonko to ban matatus from the CBD is premature, and unfair to ordinary citizens. You don’t ban matatus before providing alternatives for commuters. MUST BE RESCINDED immediately and proper planning done. #MatatuCBDBan pic.twitter.com/4SXa8PpTUO
— Sakaja Johnson (@SakajaJohnson) December 3, 2018
Do you think the Court will suspend the matatu CBD ban by the county government?