Matatu compliance: Owners throng station to get cleared

By JALLY KIHARA

NAKURU, KENYA: Matatu owners thronged the Kenya Police Vehicle Inspection Unit, Nakuru Centre, in a last minute rush to comply with the new traffic rules as issued by the National Transport Safety Authority.

The proprietors jammed the inspection unit as early as 6.30am in an effort to beat the deadline of March 31 (Monday). The unit was packed by 8am.

Matatus went through testing stages to verify if they had complied with the new safety rules. Those found to have met all the new requirements were issued with a certificate of compliance.

William Chelimo, officer in charge of the unit, said those inspected and issued with certificate of compliance would proceed to the Kenya Revenue Authority to be issued with a Transport Licensing Board (TLB) licence.

Mr Chelimo said public service vehicles must be inspected and issued with the necessary documents to be able to continue with their business.

He hailed the new gadget saying it has the ability to reveal a vehicle’s speed limits data history for several days.

“The new gadget can be connected to a computer and the car’s speed history be downloaded to see whether it has flaunted the speed limit at any given instance,” he said.

Matatu owners also welcomed the new rules saying they will shape up the industry, which has been bedeviled by indiscipline due to rowdy drivers and conductors.

Philip Waweru, the chairman of Njoro-Egerton Sacco, said the speed controls would make sure drivers do not drive at break-neck speed, which has become a killer on Kenyan roads.

“We are happy and ready to comply with all the new rules to bring to an end the madness that has been witnessed in the matatu industry. Unruly overtaking by speeding drivers must come to an end,” Mr Waweru said.