Neighbourhood Kenya 20th Edition - Kara

TRANSPORT
But like Nyagah, Matatu Welfare
Association chairman Mr Dickson Mbugua
argues that the small matatus “are here to
stay” as the high capacity vehicles would
fi nd it unhard to operate in certain areas.
“There will be a vacuum in these areas
when the big matatus run away because of
low business,” he said.
Mbugua says his association has been
exerting pressure on the ministries of
Transport and Local Government to come
up with a strategy that will see some 14-
seaters remain in business in some areas.
“For the population in the rural areas
and those in small towns, the 14-seaters will
forever remain useful,” said the chairman.
Matatu Owners Association Chairman
Mr Simon Kimutai also says some matatus
should be allowed to operate in some areas,
albeit on a need basis.
He, however, notes that the transport
ministry has agreed to “some exceptions”
for the small matatus to operate. Both
Kimutai and Mbugua said the big buses
have started fi lling in the void left by ageing
matatus in major towns.
However, for Mbugua, this transition
has left some voids, as the number of new
buses does not correspond with that of the
matatus being phased out.
“I can tell you for sure that in Nairobi
for instance where we have 16,000 PSVs,
the combined number of new buses is now
3,000,” said Mbugua.
Kimutai, raised concerns that the void
left by the 14-seaters in the rural areas
was now being fi lled by “Proboxes”,
masquerading as taxis.
He also said the higher capacity buses
are yet to start operating inter-cities or intertowns.
“We still have the small vehicles being
used by passengers moving from one town
to another; instead, they prefer CBD to
estates within a given town,” he said.
Industry players and lawmakers are
also concerned about the job losses to
be occasioned by the policy, saying up to
60,000 youths are likely to lose their jobs.
Juja MP William Kabogo posed inside
parliament: “Is the minister aware that the
directive is already negatively impacting
on the livelihoods of over 60,000 young
persons, who are directly employed in the
sector”
But the Transport minister Amos
Kimunya dismissed the assertions as
untrue. “We have 22,000 14-seater matatus
out of the 79,000 PSVs. Typically, a 14-
seater matatu creates employment for
a driver and a conductor. So, maximum
people who will be directly employed by
those vehicles will be 44,000,” stated
Kimunya.
He added that the 22,000 matatus were
still on the road but would be phased out
progressively.
Kimutai endorsed the intended changes,
saying they would herald fewer accidents
and bring back sanity onto the roads. In
2011 alone, over 3,200 people lost their
lives in accidents caused mainly by human
error.
“Because one bus will cost an investor
roughly Sh4 million then we are likely to
have owners seriously looking after their
businesses,” he said.
But for Mbugua, the high cost of buying
the new matatus might cause a vacuum
since the envisioned Sacco funding will
highly depend on their size and fi nancial
muscle.
Kimunya said the ministry would stick
to the policy, as it was viable. “I have no
intention of considering rescinding this
decision because it was arrived at by the
stakeholders and we are convinced that the
passengers and the industry players can
benefi t from it.”
The policy is being implemented by
the Transport ministry –through Transport
Licensing Board and is aimed at reducing
traffi c jams and fi nally restore order to the
sector, including improvement on passenger
safety and confl ict.
It is part of a wider scheme to transform
Nairobi transport into world-class. It is part
of the Integrated Transport System where
passengers will seamlessly move from one
mode of transport to another.
Njiru announced that the Syokimau train
station is 70 per cent complete and that the
laying of the railway line from the station to
Embakasi was underway.
The rehabilitation of the railway
line from Nairobi to Ruiru was also in
progress, said Njiru, adding that tenders
for the construction of the line connecting
Syokimau and Jomo Kenyatta International
Airport (JKIA) will soon be out. “We need all
modes of transport: rail, road and airports
are being rehabilitated,” he said.
We have 22,000 14-seater matatus out of the
79,000 PSVs. Typically, a 14-seater matatu
creates employment for a driver and a conductor.
So, maximum people who will be directly
employed by those vehicles will be 44,000.
15.