Travellers stranded as transport crisis worsens after end of festive season

The transport crisis hit its peak on Monday as opening of schools spoiled the day for travellers returning to work after the festive season.

Fares hit the roof as the commuters jostled for space in public service vehicles. And as the travellers complained of exploitation, matatu operators smiled all the way to the banks.

A spot check in North Rift and parts of Western showed that some traffic police officers were also a smiling lot as they openly took bribes.

Hundreds of travellers were stranded at various matatu termini in Kuria West, Kuria East and Migori districts as schools opened their doors for the first term this year.

There were few matatus to cope with the increased number of commuters, who included school- children and their parents, along the Migori-Kehancha-Kegong-Ntimaru and Migori-Isibania routes in the morning.

School children scrambled for the limited space on the matatus, even as operators increased fares by almost half. The normal fare of Sh200 between Migori and Kehancha towns was raised to Sh300, while commuters were forced to pay Sh400 from Migori to Ntimaru, up from Sh300.

On the first day at Oasis Primary School in Uasin Gishu County, pupils had to learn in tents torn by strong winds during the December holiday. One of them was blown away, forcing some pupils in lower classes to learn in the open.

On various routes across the country, many vehicle operators flouted traffic rules as they cashed in on the increased number of travellers after the end of the holiday season coincided with the reopening of schools.

“Bend down for a while, we are approaching the police,” a conductor on a minibus destined for Eldoret from western Kenya told standing passengers. The traffic police stopped the vehicle and after talking with the conductor for a few seconds, the journey resumed as their previous positions.

Touts shoved those who could not raise the fares they had set without the approval of the vehicles owners. Those who tried to bargain for lower fares were not lucky either.

“Those in a hurry to return to work and keep their jobs, come over with Sh1,300. Those who don’t love their jobs, stay away,” a tout shouted at the Eldoret terminus. The fares were up by Sh700 for the 11-seater vehicles plying the Eldoret-Nairobi route.

One of the travellers, Mr Josephat Ogechi, who was in the company of his two children, said: “I have been told vehicles going to Nairobi are fully booked and I have to wait for those coming if I have to travel today. ”

He added that he must be in Nairobi on Tuesday to take his daughter for shopping before she goes to school.

“Apart from the strange fares, we have to do shopping of personal effects and textbooks for our school-going children,” he said and regretted the move by publishers to increase the cost of textbooks by 12 per cent.

Uasin Gishu police boss John Katumo, however, downplayed claims traffic police officers were taking bribes, saying such wayward behaviour was not encouraged within the police force.

“We are strict on this and those found giving and taking bribes will be dealt with in accordance with the law,” he said.

Long queues formed in several banking halls, supermarkets, bookshops and shops selling school uniforms as parents prepared their children to go back to school.

In Bungoma, fares on most routes tripled. Travellers, mainly students and their parents, remained stranded at many bus stages. “We are left at the mercy of touts who take advantage of the situation,” said Mr Alex Wafula.

Reported by Dennis Odunga, Samuel Koech, Elisha Otieno, Benjamin Muindi, Gerald Andae and Erick Ngobilo