NYS to train matatu operators on discipline and safety

NYS members match during the re-launch of the service. PHOTO: FILE

NAIROBI: Matatu owners will explore how to tackle corruption in the public transport sector during their conference that opened today.

At the same time, Matatu Owners Association (MOA) has revealed that soon operators will be undergoing vigorous training conducted by the National Youth Service in a bid to inject sanity into the business.

MOA Chair Simon Kimutai said the association has already initiated talks with NYS to have their operators trained and issued with certificates and even licenses.

This, he said, will not only handle the derailed ethics level in the industry but also improve on safety.

Referring to the conference whose climax will be Wednesday with President Uhuru Kenyatta expected to attend; Kimutai said they will be making serious recommendations on issues training.

"We want to get rid of the all nuisance by giving a long lasting solution. This training will entirely take care of this 'bad' image among operators," said Kimutai.

Kimutai said once an operator is fully trained, they will be issued with a certificate: "And if he is found to have contravened the ethic regulations, he will be sent back for retraining at his own cost."

However, Kimutai said the biggest challenge with the moral decay in the industry is not across board but just some individual characters.

He said the conference will not be seeking to point fingers of blame to any entity on the loopholes on how the sector is being managed.

"We want to be very candid in coming up with what we should do to improve not who did not do what," said Kimutai.

He added: "We know on matters corruption the person receiving is in a better position to arrest. What we want is a change of tact on how corrupt activities are handled."

Apart from ethics and integrity other issues to be discussed in the conference that will attract over 1,000 delegates are policies and legislation, implementations and enforcement, and the highly publicized Bus Rapid Transit System.

"The sustainability of BRT system will however depend critically on the energy source, fuel type and quality and vehicle manufacturing technology and infrastructure available in Kenya," said the MOA chair.

Already plans are underway to construct the city's first double-decker road at a cost of Sh38 billion that will run from Jomo Kenyatta Airport (JKIA) through Uhuru Highway to Rironi Road.

Users will however be required to pay a toll fee of Sh1, 000 to use this express way if they do not have any business within the city's business district.

"We do not have an issue with this but remember there is fuel levy that we pay to repair and come up with infrastructure. We will need more details of the roads before we fully take a stand on it," said Kimutai.