Tricks Kisumu PSV operators use to survive crackdown

Police officer arrests matatu driver in Nairobi following crackdown [Beverlyne Musili, Standard]

KISUMU, KENYA: Matatu operators in Kisumu County resorted to clever ways to beat police dragnets in the ongoing crackdown on public service vehicles.

While some resorted to alternative routes that traversed through estates and villages to avoid a crackdown exercise by traffic police officers, others chose to withdraw their vehicles from the roads.

The traffic police officers mounted roadblocks on the busy Nairobi-Kisumu highway to enforce traffic regulations popularly known as Michuki rules.

Several matatus were impounded and driven to Central police Station. Some were taken for inspection, others had worn out tyres and some expired insurance covers or licenses.

Spot check by the Standard on the roads, found heavy traffic snarl ups as most motorist diverted off the road to avoid being netted by police in the morning swoop.

Some operators withdrew their defective vehicles from the roads fearing arrest and possible charges.

The Tuk Tuk drivers which are a common mode of transport from the central business district to Nyamasaria and Nyalenda estates also withdrew services.

Some resorted to estate services to avoid police dragnet by keeping off the highway and opting for estate services for the better part of the day.

But the regional traffic commandant Andrew Naibei could not divulge the statistics of the number of arrests made and vehicles netted in the crackdown.

''We are still compiling the lists and will give the data later. Operations is also still going on so we cannot divulge details today, may be later or tomorrow,'' he explained.