Matatu owners faces blow after the government has reportedly kicked off its plan to phase out 14-seater matatus to ease congestion and disorder common in major urban areas, including Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu.
The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has stopped the licensing of 14-seater matatus.
Only 24 out of nearly 200 saccos operating the 14-seater matatu are having their operating permits renewed after obtaining temporary court orders stopping the regulator from denying them licences.
NTSA has declined to extend protection of the order to other saccos claiming that since they were not part of the suit, they are not protected by the court order.
Economic Survey data indicates that there are more than 37,000 14-seater matatus on Kenyan roads.
The Association of Matatu Operators that represents 195 saccos has moved to court accusing NTSA of discrimination in implementing the High Court order.
The association further claims that NTSA’s interpretation of the order is not only discriminatory but unreasonable.The legal notice came into effect on January 1 and temporarily suspension of the ban runs until February 15, 2019.
The High Court has asked the association to serve NTSA and return to court for further directions on January 11.The Legal Notice 179 of December 31, 2014 ordered a halt in the licensing of PSVs that carry fewer than 25 passengers from January 1, 2016, but it was not implemented at the time.