Sonko shelves plan to kick out matatus from Nairobi CBD

Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has shelved for a month plan to kick out matatu operators from the Central Business District (CBD) to allow ‘self-regulation’ after a meeting with a transport lobby.

Governor Sonko said the decision will be implemented as a pilot project, and will allow matatus to operate in the CBD as the Nairobi County government seeks alternative ways to accommodate the matatus elsewhere.

“We have shelved the ban for a month but as a temporary measure to address the issue. There shall be strictly no double parking, no obstruction, no unnecessary U-turns, no noise pollution in CBD and no blocking of business premises as we look for permanent solutions of decongesting our city,” Sonko said.

On Monday, September 18, the Matatu Welfare Association (MWA) said that the Nairobi County leadership did not consult stakeholders before gazetting the Public Service Vehicles (PSVs) CBD ban which was set to take effect on Wednesday.

Speaking during a press conference, MWA Chairperson Dickson Mbugua said that Sonko ought to re-consider his stance and involve them in the decision making process because the ban will have far reaching effects on their operations.

“We are not opposed to the changes but the governor should have consulted us before moving to implement the ban and in any case we ought to have been given time in light of the new development because the ban will affect a lot of people including boda boda operators and commuters,” Mr. Mbugua said.

“Are we being replaced in this re-structuring of Nairobi’s transport system termini? We would like to know so that we can make the necessary arrangements,” Mr. Mbugua said.

Mr. Mbugua said that despite 10,000 out of Nairobi’s 16,000 PSV’s being matatus, the Nairobi County leadership  still did not consult them.

“10,000 out of Nairobi’s 16,000 PSVs are matatus we have a major stake in the city’s transport system. Who will listen to our grievances? ” Mbugua asked.

Nairobi Acting County Secretary Leboo Ole Morintat had on Friday, September 15, through a Gazette notice provided new rules that were to bar PSVs from accessing the Nairobi CBD.