Are this the end days of matatu cartels?
The Federation of Public Transport operators has called for a nationwide matatu strike starting Monday contesting the enforcement of “Michuki rules” .
However their remark has been met with fire and fury by the law enforcement agency which shows no sign of reluctance in the small talk by some cartels who want to cripple the national transport system by threats.
The government is planning to make the roads safer and more efficient, but at a cost. There are plans underway to sanitize the sector to attract investors who have initially been locked out by cartels.
The sanitization operation wants to wipe away criminal gangs, rogue matatus, politicians and corrupt traffic cops. In September, a matatu rammed into a patrol car damaging it during chaos in Nairobi Central Business District.
Interior CS Fred Matiang’i maintains that the planned matatu crackdown is still on despite earlier calls by matatu operators for a countrywide strike starting Monday.
Speaking during a fundraising ceremony at Nakuru’s California SDA church, the CS insisted that the madness being witnessed in the public transport sector must stop.
“There is no turning back from Monday, they must comply including insurance companies stopping dubious deals,” said Matiang’i.
While indicating that more officers will be deployed to aid in the crackdown, Matiang’i urged the PSV operators to the take stringent measures positively saying they would restore sanity and save lives.
This comes just a day after the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) announced that 2,626 people died while 3,240 were injured following road accidents this year.
The CS expressed concern over the fact that the majority of those who perished in the various accidents were young people, adding that this leads to economic slowdown.
In the traffic regulations to be enforced from Monday; driving on or through a pedestrian walkway or pavement will now see drivers charged an instant fine of Ksh. 5,000 while causing obstruction on the road with your vehicle in a manner that inconveniences other motorists or prevents flow of traffic will see drivers part with Ksh. 10,000.
Failure of a driver to obey traffic signs will attract a Ksh. 3,000 fine while driving without a valid driving licence that corresponds to the class of the vehicle being driven will see drivers part with Ksh. 7,000.
If a public service vehicle operator is found picking and dropping passengers at areas that are not the designated bus stops, a Ksh. 1,000 will be charged while travelling with a part of the body outside a moving vehicle will attract a Ksh. 1,000 fine.