Have matatus plying your route increased fares? Most public service vehicles operating within Nairobi have been utilising a little opportunity gotten to exploit travellers. Following Governor Mike Sonko’s ban against all PSVs from accessing Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD), a ban that applied on Monday, matatus have been reportedly increased fares.
This has come to the attention of the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) which has put such matatus on spot.
The matatus increased the fares on Monday following the scarcity of the vehicles witnessed in the city on Monday. Through a press statement released by NTSA dated Tuesday December 4, 2018, the authority said that the operators hiking fares risk revocation of their operation licences.
The authority however urged people to download their apple from google’s playstore which will aid them report incidences of fare hiking.
The safety authority posted the release on Wednesday through its official twitter account, terming it as an important public notice.
Important Public Notice. pic.twitter.com/grusQVvO6h
— NTSA KENYA (@ntsa_kenya) December 5, 2018
The fares have hence remained high despite governor Sonko lifting the ban on matatu from entering CBD on Tuesday morning.
Sonko lifted the ban amid an outcry from the residents who suffered more on Monday morning, saying that he needed more time to allow talks and consultations.
The ban which had also affected business activities in the city saw people walk long distances looking for their respective termini.
Sonko had allocated 11 termini which were to accommodate all the public service vehicles.
Local political leaders had also condemned Sonko for effecting the ban without making due consultations and providing alternatives.
Several leaders among them Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja and Embakasi East legislator Babu Owino had threatened to file a case in Court seeking to suspend the ban.