Peak season for matatus as city residents go upcountry to vote

Luggage being loaded on the roof of a bus at the Machakos Country Bus terminus as Nairobi residents travel to their rural homes on July 30, 2017. Fares have been hiked. PHOTO | DENNIS ONSONGO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Job Mose, a ticket tout of Nyamira Express, said that fares have doubled.
  • Those travelling to Kisumu County pay between Sh1,200 and Sh1,500, up from the usual Sh800.
  • Antony Ngugi, a driver for Modern Coast Bus Services, said the number of travellers has been rising since last week Friday though he said he was not sure why.

The passenger transport business is booming as Nairobi residents head to their rural homes, where many of them had registered as voters.

A spot check by the Nation at the Country Bus terminus, where most western Kenya-bound buses originate, revealed that most of the travellers are women and children.

Some said they were heading home to vote while others were leaving out of fear of violence that may break out over the outcome of the August 8 elections.

BUSINESS

Job Mose, a ticket seller for Nyamira Express, which takes travellers to destinations in Nyamira, Oyugis and Kendu Bay, said that fares have more than doubled and business is at its peak.

"In normal days, passengers pay Sh600 to these destinations, but this has changed as the number of travellers has more than doubled, driving up fares to between Sh1,200 and Sh1,500," Mr Mose said.

He added that buses are making more trips and more vehicles have been added to meet the demand.

FARES HIKED

Antony Ngugi, a driver forModern Coast Bus Services, said the number of travellers has been rising since last week Friday though he said he was not sure why.

Mr Ngugi said his company is cashing in on the upsurge by raising fares.

For example, those travelling to Kisumu County pay between Sh1,200 and Sh1,500, up from the usual Sh800.

VOTING

Another ticket agent, Grace Neema Nyabuto, who works for Otange Express, which travels to Homa Bay, said the passenger influx began on Wednesday last week, with women being the majority of the travellers.

The firm has raised fares to between Sh1,300 and Sh1,500 from Sh600.

"This unusual travelling started last Wednesday, with those travelling saying that they were going back to vote and a few citing fear of violence, while others said they were taking their families home and return to the city to vote," she said.

REGISTERED
Mercy Mwendwa said she is a registered voter in Kisii, where she was heading with her two children.

"I live in Ngong but right now I am heading home to vote and not for fear of violence.

"My husband had already left. I registered [in Kisii] together with him," she said.

SAFETY

Several residents said they are leaving, not for fear of violence but because they are not registered in the county.

Eunice Okang’ and Nancy Onyango - both travelling to Ndhiwa in Homa Bay - are a case in point.

"We are not going home because of fear of civil strife, but rather to vote then come back soon after," said Okang’, a resident of Embakasi.

CONFIRM
An interesting detail is that some bus company employees are asking travellers for voter details before they are allowed to buy a ticket.

Steve Odongo and Anthony Adala, who both work for a firm called Climax, said they have been asking passengers for their registration details and were only allowing those not registered in the city to board.

"Those we doubt we ask them for their IDs to confirm where they are registered but from Friday, there has been a lot of traffic [and] that has made it a bit difficult to confirm all the details," Mr Odongo said.