Thousands of commuters in Nairobi were on Monday stranded after a section of Public Service vehicles (PSVs) owners kept their vehicles off the road in protest to the implementation of Michuki traffic rules.
A spot-check by SDE along Outering and Mombasa Road revealed large crowds at the different matatu termini.
With the few matatus in operation charging passengers an arm and a leg to commute over short distances, many city residents opted to trek to work.
The shortage of transport has also seen bodaboda operators cash in on desperate city residents.
“We are suffering because of the government’s knee-jerk reaction to the deaths of 58 passengers in the Fort Ternan accident. Watu wa matatu wangepewa a longer period to comply with Michuki rules since it’s the government that was slack in implementing the traffic rules,” said John Shivachi, a city resident.
On November 11, Interior CS Fred Matiang’i vowed to come down hard on violators, saying that the government will not be cowed by threats by PSV operators to keep off the road protesting the crackdown.
“If we don’t do it now, we will lose it. All officers involved have been briefed and instructed on what to do. They know their work and there will be thorough supervision to ensure compliance,” he said.
The reintroduction of Michuki traffic rules aims at reining in the transport industry following a spat of tragic road accidents.
On October 25, the government released a statement on the rules’ reintroduction, stating that “Effective Monday, 12th November 2018, any PSV vehicle, drivers, SACCOs/Transport companies, passengers and other relevant parties that fail to comply with the provisions of the NTSA Act and the Traffic Act will be firmly dealt with in accordance with the law.
According to the rules, all PSVs must have a yellow continuous line, speed governors and seat belts. The driver and conductor on the other hand are required to prominently display their photos and wear uniforms and PSV badges as prescribed by the law.
