Nairobi Senator Sakaja moves to court to stop matatu CBD ban

Nairobi Senator Jonhson Sakaja has moved to court to seek orders suspending the ban of matatus from the Nairobi Central Business District (CBD).

In his case, Sakaja argues that the Nairobi County Government has enforced the ban without conducting public participation.

He further faults Governor Mike Sonko’s administration for ejecting the matatus from the city centre without providing convenient alternatives, thereby leaving commuters stranded.

“The move by Governor Mike Sonko to ban matatus from the CBD is premature, and unfair to ordinary citizens. You don’t ban matatus before providing alternatives for commuters,” said Sakaja on Monday morning.

He says the ban must be rescinded immediately and proper planning done.

In a notice published in the local dailies last Thursday, City Hall announced that 11 termini had been designated for all matatus in Nairobi to pick and drop off passengers.

While some Kenyans support the ban of matatus from the CBD, a majority are of the view that the idea was poorly planned, hence, the chaos and inconvenience witnessed on Monday morning.

Hundreds of commuters were forced to walk long distances on Monday morning as the matatu operators headed the directive to drop off passengers at the new designated areas.

Police officers and traffic marshals have been deployed across the city to enforce the directive.

All matatus that have been accessing the city centre through Thika Road, Waiyaki Way, Uhuru Highway, Kipande Road, Limuru Road, Ruiru and Kiambu Road are required to pick and drop passengers at Fig Tree in Ngara.

PSVs from Jogoo Road will stop at Muthurwa while those from Ngong Road will park at Railways Terminus. Matatus from Mombasa Road and Lang’ata Road will pick and drop off passengers at Hakati Terminus.

All upcountry vehicles accessing Nairobi via Waiyaki Way will drop off passengers at Park Road Terminus together with those that go past Kenol on Nyeri/Meru-Nairobi Road.

The high capacity buses from upcountry will stop at Machakos Terminus.

All vehicles that go past Ruiru but branch off before or at Kenol Town on Nyeri/Meru-Nairobi Road will stop at Desai Service Road Terminus.