Matatu Welfare Association moves to court over Nairobi CBD ban

The Matatu Welfare Association now wants the court to bar the Nairobi County Government from blocking the entry of Public Service Vehicles (PSVs) into the city centre.

This comes barely a month after City Hall ordered matatus to vacate the Central Business District (CBD.)

In an application filed at the Milimani Law Courts, the matatu association alleges that the county is adamant and keen to have all PSVs barred from entering the Nairobi CBD.

“The respondent was quoted alluding that the said matatu PSV operators should not expect any notification, ” reads the petition.

The welfare says that in order for the said relocation to work and be viable for everyone, all stakeholders need to be involved in forging a way forward and, as such, public participation is paramount.

They further claim that their members are not opposed to the relocation but are concerned by the manner and procedure by which the move is being conducted.

“The petitioner’s members should only be moved to termini that actually exist and that are fit for the purposes, not just to arbitrarily cast them out of the city,” reads the court papers.

According to the petitioners, the current pick-up and drop-off points are strategically placed to ensure security of members of the public as they board, alight and access their various places of work and business within the city both at night and during the day.

The welfare also claims that the new proposed termini are too small and squeezed, hence not able to accommodate even half of the matatu PSVs from one Sacco.