Kipchumba Murkomen, the Transport Cabinet Secretary will have the liberty to set matatu fares (for the public service vehicles (PSVs) in the proposed changes to the law.
This provision comes regardless of the sector being privately run. Didmus Barasa, Kimilili MP has introduced the National Transport and Safety Authority amendment bill, 2023 to the National Assembly. The bill aims to amend the NTSA Act 2012. Once approved, the amendment will give the Transport CS power to set the maximum and minimum fares charged by the matatus and buses that offer public transport.
Since the sector is privately run, matatus set their price depending on the route they use, the distance covered and the fuel prices at that moment. After the implementation of the Finance Act 2023, the public transport sector increased their fare prices by 30 percent to adjust to renewed fuel prices.
Read Also: Mike Sonko Calls for Matatu Industry Reforms after Incident of Unruly Behavior
Alongside stating the fares, the CS will also have the power to state the mechanisms of reviewing matatu fares and measures to ensure fair and reasonable prices. Mr. Barasa stated that the new changes will cushion commuters from being overcharged by matatu owners.
During the Jubilee regime, the government tried to intervene in the private sector but their measures were deemed unsustainable. They introduced NYS vehicles to various routes for just Ksh 20 but later collapsed for its unsustainability. The buses were too few to make a significant impact and the high costs of fuel failed to maintain the initiative.
“The NTSA Act is amended by inserting the following new subsection; the (Transport CS) may, in consultation with (NTSA), make regulations prescribing the maximum and minimum fares payable by passengers in public service vehicles within the country,” says the Bill.
Subscribe to Switch TV
Matatu operators have been urging the government to intervene by regulating the sector regarding entry into the market.
