The Matatu Crew Welfare Association has raised concerns about two vehicles that do not follow the law and have been blocking and harassing other operators.
The two matatus operating on the Ngong-Nairobi route are trending on social media for all the wrong reasons, as incensed Kenyans took to X to point them out for breaking traffic laws in broad daylight, even in the presence of traffic police.
Citizen TV recently reported that the said vehicles are owned by a top government official and operate with complete immunity from law enforcement in Nairobi.
These matatus have allegedly influenced the deployment of traffic officers, with the police afraid to arrest them for fear of losing their jobs or being transferred.
The report indicated that these matatus often break traffic rules, disregard stage lines, lack Sacco names, and do not undergo inspections by the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA).
“Kuna magari watu wanasema ni za serikali, gari haina jina ya Sacco…gari inakuja hapa inareverse kwa roundabout, askari wanaangalia tu,” Wilfred Bosire, the association chairman, told Citizen TV.
They claim to have reported the matter to the traffic police, but the police are scared to handle the issue. The vehicles are said to lack PSV insurance and do not belong to any Sacco.
Additionally, it was mentioned that the matatus drop passengers anywhere they please, and authorities are seemingly reluctant to take action against them.
The report also mentioned another matatu operating on Ngong Road called “Ambulance,” which is owned by an influential politician.
“People are scared, they can’t speak, but some of us must speak whether we’re going to be abducted or not. We want fairness in doing business,” said Jasper, a concerned stakeholder in the PSV sector.
“Huwezi sema gari ni ya serikali…si iwekwe GK basi, ifanye kazi ya serikali…atuwache tufanye kazi ya PSV,” Wilfred added.
Typically, vehicles at the Railways stage have to queue for up to four hours to carry passengers, but these vehicles reportedly do not follow these guidelines.
The crew operators are now planning to hold demonstrations next week on Wednesday, August 7, if nothing is done about the issue.
The NTSA imposes several prerequisites that matatu operators must fulfill before they can conduct their business.
Among these prerequisites is the necessity for the vehicle to possess a valid inspection certificate, valid insurance coverage, a valid road service license, and a matatu Sacco to join.
