Transport Authority runs into trouble with matatu owners

By Nicholas Waitathu

Matatu industry lobby groups yesterday walked out of a ceremony to launch the new National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) that is expected to address road safety challenges and improve management of the road transport subsector.

Led by the Matatu Owners Association (MOA), and the Matatau Welfare Association (MWA), the stakeholders protested to the Transport Minister Amos Kimunya accusing him of segregating them when constituting the new Authority. 

The members shouted down the Authority’s chairman Eng Joseph Kamau Thuo as he was making his maiden speech, accusing him of being part of the system planning to phase out the matatu industry in the country. Thuo is the former immediate Transport Licensing Board (TLB) chairman.

Michael Kariuki, the chairman of the Mount Kenya Matatu Owners Association (MKMOA), claimed the composition of the new board has no blessings of the entire matatu sub-sector as the current directors were only handpicked to suit interests of few individuals both in Government and in the private sector.

“We are dissatisfied because the minister failed to consult us when forming the new board. We control more than 80 per cent of the entire industry and we wonder who the new directors are representing when our representatives are not part of the new Authority,” Kariuki said.

Furious members

The furious matatu members paralysed the meeting for about 10 minutes as Minister Kimunya and other senior government officers watched helplessly. 

Transport Permanent Secretary Dr Karanja Kibicho intervened and ordered the irate players out of the meeting to allow for the continuation of the ceremony.

Kibicho defended the government stand saying in the new dispensation professionalism will be the key parameters with the view to reestablishing sanity in the industry. 

Outside the meeting venue, Kariuki flanked by Simon Kimutai, the chairman of MOA and Dickson Mbugua of MWA said it would now be business as usual until all their pleas are addressed. 

Kimutai reminded the new Authority to ensure all stakeholders are fully involved as it continues implementing the Traffic Act 2012.

“We have been taken for granted for a long time. But thanks to the country’s constitution which recognises all the citizens’ rights regardless of their backgrounds,” he said.

But Kimunya castigated the players, explaining that the appointment of the members was executed based on the prescriptions outlined in the Traffic Act 2012, which included a requirement of a university degree.

Final list

“We consulted widely in terms of who will be part of the new Authority before gazetting the final list. For the matatu industry, we urged the players to agree on the representatives to be incorporated in the Authority but they failed to agree,” he explained.

He went on to state that through Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA), his office had found a nominee to represent the road transport subsector. 

The outgoing minister concluded by lauding the new Authority, saying it will open a new chapter in the management of the road transport subsector. He also called for cooperation from all the stakeholders.