Kidero says order revoking matatu parking licences to remain despite strike threat
Angry matatu operators rough up their chairman Dickson Mbugua in Nairobi on March 31, 2016 after he called off a planned matatu strike. Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero has maintained that an order cancelling licences for parking matatus in the city centre would not be reversed. PHOTO | EVANS HABIL | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Dr Kidero said discipline has to be instilled in the industry as the matatus have turned the roads into parking lots.
- Governor Kidero blamed city officials for issuing licences for parking on ungazetted illegal terminuses.
- He said he had received support from the public in his efforts to remove the matatus from the city centre.
Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero has said he will not withdraw the order to cancel parking licences for public service vehicles despite threats by matatus to stage a strike.
The order cancelling licences for parking on major city streets came after traders, whose businesses have been hurt by the matatus parking in front of their premises, threatened to stop paying land rates and licence fees to the county government.
Dr Kidero said discipline has to be instilled in the industry as the matatus have turned the roads into parking lots.
He said matatus parking on Ronald Ngala Street, Luthuli Avenue, Tom Mboya Street, Mfangano Street and Latema Road had been issued with fake licences by rogue City Hall officers.
ILLEGAL TERMINUSES
Governor Kidero blamed the city officials for issuing licences for the ungazetted illegal terminuses, adding that those found culpable would be prosecuted.
He said the ministry of Education had closed down most satellite campuses of various universities in the city following the matatu menace, a development he said had affected revenue collection.
He said indiscipline among matatu operators had hurt business in the city centre as investors now prefer operating on the outskirts of the city.
Dr Kidero said he had received support from the public in his efforts to remove matatus from the city centre.
He, however, said that a solution for those affected would be found.
On Friday, county officials and matatu owners will meet meet to discuss alternative parking space outside the city.
He added that the county will introduce transit buses that will go round the city picking up and dropping off passengers at designated areas in intervals of four to five minutes.
