Commuters pay the price as rogue matatus keep off roads
Commuters stranded at a bus stage on Ngong Road in Nairobi on November 5, 2018, when public service vehicles kept off the roads due to the Michuki rules crackdown. PHOTO | COLLINS OMULO | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Crackdown on rogue matatus was announced last month but was to be effected from November 12.
Scores of passengers were stranded in various parts of Nairobi County and its environs as many matatus kept off the roads fearing an ongoing police crackdown.
And for the few that were available, the fares have been hiked on some of the routes as traffic police officers enforced the much-dreaded 'Michuki rules' in a bid to curb rising road deaths.
Matatus are parked at the Globe Cinema Roundabout in Nairobi County, during a crackdown as part of the enforcement of Michuki rules, November 5, 2018. PHOTO | SAMMY KIMATU | NATION MEDIA GROUP
A driver places a route board on a matatu at the Koja terminus in Nairobi County, during a crackdown as part of the enforcement of Michuki rules, November 5, 2018. PHOTO | SAMMY KIMATU | NATION MEDIA GROUP
REGULATIONS
Last month, Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia and his Interior counterpart Fred Matiang'i announced the return of the rules and gave matatu operators up to November 12, to comply.
The road traffic regulations were published in a Kenya Gazette notice in September 2003 by the then minister of Transport, the late John Michuki.
The highlights were that every public service vehicle (PSV) must be fitted with a speed governor that capped speed at 80 kilometres per hour, have seatbelts for all passengers, and have a defined passenger capacity to prevent overloading.
They also required drivers to display their photo prominently in the matatu to curb “squad” driving, and made it mandatory for PSVs to have a yellow strip on its body.
Matatu crew wait for passengers at the Koja terminus in Nairobi, during a crackdown as part of the enforcement of Michuki rules on November 5, 2018. PHOTO | SAMMY KIMATU | NATION MEDIA GROUP
A small number of passengers is pictured at the usually packed Koja terminus in Nairobi County, during a crackdown for Michuki rules to be enforced, November 5, 2018. PHOTO | SAMMY KIMATU | NATION MEDIA
Passengers board a matatu at the Koja terminus in Nairobi County, on November 5, 2018, when police cracked down on operators who flout Michuki rules. PHOTO | SAMMY KIMATU | NATION MEDIA
'WALKING NATION'
Traffic updates by Ma3Route, a mobile, web and SMS traffic information platform, said there are few matatus on Outer Ring Road and fare had been increased.
"The situation is bad people are stranded [because of] Michuki [rules]....[Vehicles dropping off passengers at Cabanas],” read another tweet on the situation on Mombasa Road.
“It’s a walking nation on Waiyaki Way. Many passengers stranded on the various stages. Others decided to walk [to work],” read another tweet.
It was the same situation on Ngong Road as commuters were stranded over shortage of matatus. The vehicles that were available had doubled fares.
The fares are normally between Sh70 and Sh100, depending on the time, but they were charging between Sh150 and Sh200 as traffic police officers started the crackdown on vehicles not complying with rules.
A traffic police officer at the Koja stage in Nairobi town on November 5, 2018, during an operation against rogue matatu operators. PHOTO | SAMMY KIMATU | NATION MEDIA
A sign is pictured at the stage for Kasarani/Mwiki matatus along Tom Mboya Street in Nairobi County, during a crackdown for Michuki rules to be enforced, November 5, 2018. PHOTO | SAMMY KIMATU | NATION MEDIA
Matatus at the Koja terminus in Nairobi County on November 5, 2018. PHOTO | SAMMY KIMATU | NATION MEDIA
CROSSOVER
Some private vehicles took advantage of the situation and ferried passengers to town.
In Kasarani, only one operator — Mwiki Sacco Limited — was operating in the early morning and the vehicles were charging between Sh150 and Sh200 to the Nairobi city centre.
The matatus were also not entering the city centre, instead dropping off passengers at Ngara.
There was heavy traffic on Thika Road as people opted to use their private vehicles.
