Hundreds stranded in Coast as operators keep off

Philip Mwakio and Renson Mnyamwezi

Transport in Mombasa was paralysed as the nationwide strike by matatus began.

Students returning to school were among thousands of commuters affected.

On Monday, there were no traffic snarl-ups on Mombasa’s three exit routes of Nyali Bridge, Likoni ferry crossing channel and the Makupa causeway. Vehicles moved freely in and out.

In Kisauni and Shanzu, there was violence after protesting crews attacked matatus they claimed were in business despite the strike.

Touts along the Old Malindi Road (now Karisa Maitha Road) lit fires in protest. The Matatu Owners Association (MOA) Mombasa secretary Salim Mbarak said police did not offer security to those not backing the strike.

Chaos by touts

"Some of our vehicles were damaged by touts in the morning," he said.

Mr Mbarak, who described the strike as a flop, claimed only a handful operators in Mombasa supported the strike. He led a group of operators to the provincial traffic police commandant to protest against lack of security. The countrywide strike was called by the Drivers and Conductors Association and backed by the Matatu Welfare Association.

Security was later tightened in Mombasa, with riot police backed by the General Service Unit, patrolling the streets.