Wash, fumigate matatus after every trip Govt orders

Wash, fumigate matatus after every trip  Govt orders

The government has now ordered all public service vehicle (PSV) operators to ensure that their vehicles are constantly cleaned and fumigated in a bid to contain spread of the coronavirus.

Addressing the media on Monday, Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia said matatus should be cleaned and fumigated after every trip and not only in the evening as has been the norm.

The PSV operators have also been instructed to ensure that they provide hand sanitizers for passengers.

“We insist that matatu owners, make sure you have those sanitizers without fail… And also make sure the buses are cleaned not in the morning and evening, but each time you come to the city and drop off passengers make sure you clean those buses,” said CS Macharia.

He noted that the directive also applies for commuters using trains.

“We have also told Kenya Railways that for each trip the trains must be fumigated and cleaned,” said the Transport CS, adding that “this is a life and death matter we cannot take any chances.”

The CS warned that any PSV operator who fails to comply with the government-led coronavirus preventive measures risks having their license revoked.

Meanwhile, the Matatu Owners Association (MOA) has urged conductors to consider use of mobile payment in a bid to minimize the risk of coronavirus transmission through the use of cash.

“I want to urge conductors to prefer accepting M-Pesa because one single note can circulate to many people and by the end of the day so many will have been infected,” said MOA Chairman Simon Kimutai.

“We know very well that safaricom does not charge when you transact less than Ksh.100… and if it is more it would be better to lose that little money and save a life.”

At the same time, Kimutai highlighted the shortage of sanizers in the market, urging the suppliers and Health Ministry to intervene and subsidize the costs and have the material availed at bus termini.

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COVID-19 coronavirus James Macharia matatus

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