Matatus barred from Nairobi CBD

Public Service Vehicles (PSVs) will not be allowed into the Nairobi Central Business District from Wednesday.

The Nairobi County government made the announcement in a move to decongest the city.

Over 30,000 vehicles will not access the CBD starting September 20.

In a gazette notice dated May 2017, City hall had notified the PSVs and the public that changes would be made on the omnibus termini and routes.

GRACE PERIOD

Speaking to the Nation, Roads and Transport Chief Officer Fredrik Karanja said the grace period they gave PSVs had elapsed.

“We have all realised we cannot keep living like this, something must be done to decongest this city by moving this vehicles to the public terminus,” said Mr Karanja.

He said that they have modified and rehabilitated the terminus that will be used from Wednesday.

He said the terminus will not be parking bays vehicles will only have a limited time of 40 minutes before they exit.

He said traffic jam is normally caused by vehicles that wait for passengers at off-peak hours.

Mr Karanja said there will be vehicles that will be operating in diametric route—moving from one part of the city and crisscrossing through the CBD and they will only stop a maximum of five minutes.
SONKO

“Someone travelling from Kawangware to Dandora, or Ruiru to Kenyatta (hospital) will not necessarily have to stop in CBD,” he said.

The mass transit buses will now ply the circular routes by connecting all termini to CBD and Upper Hill.

Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko also revoked gazette notice and letters allocating pick-up and drop -off points to matatus in the city centre.

The points include all streets and link roads from Tom Mboya, Accra, Ronald Ngala and Moi Avenue.

Acting county secretary Leboo ole Morintat said the directive will be enforced by police and National Transport and Safety Authority.

"Maximum cooperation is expected from all PSV operators and compliance to avoid inconvenience and other consequences thereof," he said.
BUSES

All matatus from Waiyaki Way, Uhuru Highway, Kipande Road and Limuru will stop at Murang'a Road(Fig Tree) now dubbed terminus A.

PSVs from Thika Road and including Kiambu Road up to and including Ruiru will stop at Murang'a Road (Fig Tree) or terminus B.

All those vehicle that operate past Kenol on Nyeri/Meru-Nairobi Road and all upcountry vehicle on Uhuru Highway now stop at Park Road terminus.

All vehicles using Juja road, Ring Road Ngala and Park Road to access CBD will stop at Ngara Road terminus.

Matatus from Mombasa Road, Langata will stop at Hakati, those from Ngong Road have a new terminus at Railways, while those plying Jogoo Road route will be picking and dropping passengers at Muthurwa.

Buses from upcountry will operate from Machakos Country Bus stage.