Cashless fare: Matatus seek time

What you need to know:

  • “We are not opposed to the initiative as it was our brainchild, but we need time to create necessary awareness so that we do not throw the industry into chaos,” Mr Mbugua told a press conference in Nairobi.

Matatu operators want the government to extend Tuesday's deadline for the cashless fare system, saying they need more time to create public awareness.

The Matatu Welfare Association Sunday asked the government to give Kenyans and Public Service Vehicle owners more than four months to comply with the new technology.

Association chairman Dickson Mbugua said the extra time would enable the government educate the public, whom he said did not know where to buy the cards.

“We are not opposed to the initiative as it was our brainchild, but we need time to create necessary awareness so that we do not throw the industry into chaos,” Mr Mbugua told a press conference in Nairobi.

He was accompanied by vice-chairman John Kitimbwa and Mr Stephen Ndung’u, a committee member.

The chairman said the cost of the system had to be looked into so that the industry was not exploited by opportunistic corporations.

The extra time would also allow the government to harmonise the cost of the gadgets, which he said now ranged from Sh14,000 to Sh30,000.

“We need a standard price for the gadgets. Matatu operators are yet to complete repayment of loans they took to acquire digital speed governors,” said Mr Mbugua.

According to him, matatu owners were ripped-off on the digital speed governors and it was important to ensure they were not taken advantage of again with the cashless system.

He noted that the system’s efficiency and effectiveness was yet to be tested and authorised by the Central Bank of Kenya.

“Sector players and the public are not ready for the alternative fare collection method. Education and awareness are evidently wanting. We must get it right the first time.”
He appealed to the government to caution law enforcers not to harass PSV crews starting from Tuesday.

“We should handle this with a lot of care and adequate time is needed if we have to succeed.”

The new regulations gazetted by Transport Cabinet Secretary Michael Kamau in September last year and revised in March are set to come into effect tomorrow. They intend to outlaw the use of cash in matatus and provide for a fine of not more than Sh100,000 or imprisonment not exceeding one year for non-compliance.

So far there are three electronic cards in the market; Bebapay which is a joint venture between Equity bank and Google, 1963 Jinice that is operated by the Matatu Owners Association and Abiria Card operated by the Kenya Bus Service and KCB.