Matatu owners, Nairobi County reach agreement over parking impasse

Matatu owners, Nairobi County reach agreement over parking impasse

The Nairobi County Government and Matatu Owners Association (MOA) have reached an agreement that ends the week-long impasse on parking space within the Central Business District.

A meeting between Nairobi City County Government, led by Deputy Governor Jonathan Mueke, and officials from the Matatu Welfare Association, Matatu Owners Association and National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) resolved that no matatus will be locked out of the CBD, but proposed that only two buses will be allowed at a terminus at a time.

“This measure is aimed at easing congestion as others line and wait for their turn. It will also ensure that every matatu has a shot at entering the CBD indiscriminately,” said Deputy Government Mweke after the meeting.

The stakeholders also agreed to call off a planned strike that was aimed at protesting the new contingency measures announced by governor Kidero last week.

Another proposal from the meeting was the formation of a committee, bringing together all stakeholders in the transport industry, to oversee the documentation of the resolutions reached for presentation to the county government to be gazzeted.

The committee, which will later be named into Nairobi Metropolitan Transport Service, has been mandated to look at the challenges facing the Nairobi transport sector and look at previous decongestion reports, implement short and long term public transportation plans, introduce mass rapid transport and ensure peaceful co-existence within the CBD.

All PSVs are also required to submit operation permits by April 7, 2016 to allow for an audit to regularize their operations within the county and help in the allocation of parking space and waiting bays.

Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero’s directive last week that no PSV will be allowed in the CBD sparked hubbub within the matatu sector, with stakeholders threatening to hold a country-wide strike to oppose the move.

The strike was however called off after the county government agreed to sit with the stakeholders and resolve the standoff.

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matatu owners association matatu welfare association Jonathan Mueke

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