Sonko plan to ban matatus from Tom Mboya street challenged in court

The decision by Nairobi County Government to bar Public Service Vehicles (PSVs) from picking and dropping passengers on Tom Mboya street has been challenged in court.

City Star Shuttle Limited, in a petition filed on Wednesday, said the decision issued last week is illegal and, if implemented, they will be prejudiced.

The company claimed that the county government has not offered an alternative terminus to serve the numerous passengers whose destination is the Central Business District (CBD).

They further argued that the decision is against public interest and is bound to cause public outrage, inconvenience and grounds for crime due to the large number of people who are forced to walk over long distances.

City Star Shuttle Limited now wants the court to suspend the notice issued by the county banning the use of Tom Mboya Street terminus.

“The decision is not only bad in law and in breach of the provisions of the Gazette Notice Number 4479 of May 12, 2017, but also contrary to the principles of natural justice,” argued the petitioners.

The company further lamented that the county has interfered with their business particularly by vandalizing their high capacity buses as well as interfering with their picking and dropping points saying they are apprehensive the action shall cripple its business and affect their numerous passengers.

On Friday, Sonko, through County Director Parking Services Tom Tinega, said the county would not allow matatus to operate on Tom Mboya street as it is not gazetted for that purpose.

“All matatus operating on the same route shall share a single terminus. Every terminus will be allowed  only two matatus per sacco,” read the notice in part.