Corrupt traffic police making more than matatu owners – Kimutai

Matatu owners are now lamenting that corrupt traffic police officers are making more money than they do from their own businesses.

Speaking in Nakuru, Matatu Owners Association chair Simon Kimutai likened their business to slavery, saying all their profits go into someone else’s pocket.

“We are now losing money ourselves and have become slaves because there are those who benefit from our business more than us,” he said.

“Each one of you is doing a negative business, unless you’re carrying passengers with a chopper. If it’s a matatu, your profit goes into someone’s pocket yet we pay the taxes that pay their salaries,” he lamented.

The association chair called upon his fellow matatu owners to stop the corruption on the roads, explaining that not only did it eat into their profits, but it also left them with very little in the end.

“We keep encouraging our drivers to put money in the license, have you ever thought that the money could be enough to open a road safety school?” he posed.

I sympathize with matatu owners, me being one of them, you have invested millions but you’re poor millionaires. When are you going to be rich millionaires?” he posed.

He noted that players in the matatu business barely break even after they’re done paying off loans owed to banks.

“Why do you look for money to buy a matatu, take a loan from a bank but when the matatu is worn out the money you’re left with is the same amount you invested?” he asked.

Mr Kimutai called on the removal of all traffic police from the roads saying they don’t add any value but only collect bribes from matatu operators.

He said he has secured an appointment with the president to ask him to issue a presidential order for the withdrawal of all traffic police officers from the roads.

“We have made an appointment with the president. We need to have only patrols on the road. The NTSA vehicles should have been given patrols. Policemen on the road do not add value, they’re only going there to collect money,” he said.

The MOA boss also accused the National Transport and Safety Authority of usurping the mandate of the police by arresting wayward motorists, saying they should only formulate policies for police to effect.

“I want to give you a challenge, lets not be partakers of corrupt practices. We don’t expect the president alone to go around the country telling people don’t do this… we want to tell him we’re doing this here but help us here,” he added.