Following a transport crisis that hit Nairobi city last year as police enforced a directive by the city county governor Mike Sonko banning all Matatus from accessing the city centre late last year to be specific 3rd December 2018, another trouble is looming for commuters again as government announced no vehicles in Nairobi CBD every Wednesday and Saturday effective 1st February.
Car free days, are effected in cities that have subway/ metro lines/rail lines, bike lanes and bike parks, mass bus transport sytems and some have waterways serving the CBD…now look for these transport systems serving Nairobi CBD & tell me this is not a case of mad cow disease.
— Hon. William Chepkut (@Chepkut_William) January 28, 2019
While making the announcements during a press conference today afternoon, the Transport Principal Secretary Paul Maringa said the two days have been declared car free and only people with emergency vehicles, police cars and bicycles and on foot will access the city.
In the same line, the directive has come with offers that will see vendors occupy the vehicle free streets and sell their goods with no disturbance at all on the two days from all the parking slots in the city centre
So basically, what the Transport CS James Macharia announced to Kenyans is that Nairobi CBD will be a market on Wednesdays & Saturdays.
Hehehe! Vision 20Backwards!
— Wambui (@Waambui) January 28, 2019
According to the PS, matatu operators will drop and pick passengers at the designated termini, while private car owners have been advised to leave their vehicles at home and use public transport on the two days. The government says 64 high-capacity buses will be imported from South Africa for the BRT pilot programme.
However, the announcements have met mixed reactions from across all sections with in and outside the Nairobi CBD who see the directive coming on a short notice with just 3 days to the new month.
So on Wednesdays and Saturdays we become a walking nation. What's wrong with this government declaring Nairobi CBD won't be accessible at all by all vehicles? 😕
— MESHEK (@Kevlan_) January 28, 2019