Matatu Owners Association (MOA) has come out guns blazing and vowed to oppose the planned crackdown on public service vehicles on the roads.
Coming a day after the Roads Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen announced far-reaching measures aimed at curbing the increasing road carnages, the Association said the directive was issued without consultation.
Addressing the press Wednesday in Nairobi, MOA CEO Patricia Mutheu, however, acknowledged the concerns raised by the CS noting that its successful implementation requires concerted efforts.
“We strongly believe that collaboration and dialogue between industry players and the government are critical in tackling issues related to road safety," said Mutheu.
Murkomen Tuesday ordered the immediate reassessment of drivers operating Public Service Vehicles (PSVs) and heavy commercial vehicles.
"The re-testing of all PSV and heavy commercial drivers, which had been postponed after an outcry from the sector, will now be implemented without further delay. All stakeholders are expected to comply and cooperate," he said.
According to the CEO, as industry players, they are ready to engage in joint discussions to develop comprehensive and long-term solutions to the issue.
Highlighting the ongoing campaign on road safety done in partnership with NTSA, the official pointed out that it has yielded fruits.
The national campaign launched on March 4, involves voluntary vehicle inspection clinics.
She said previous crackdowns have proven ineffective as it is "reactive" hence their proactive measures to self-regulate through the aforementioned road safety campaigns.
MOA President Albert Karakacha on his part voiced similar sentiments saying the crackdown will mess up the industry.
"We are investors, we are urging the government to stop the use of crackdown, let us have a friendlier way of addressing this so that we can support our business," he said.
He defended matatus in terms of accidents saying it is not alarming compared to Lorries and so whenever there is an issue the CS “should not come very wildly to start pushing matatus out of the roads, we are businessmen and we need support”.
Karakacha further took issue with the planned reintroduction of NTSA on the roads saying it will not help in addressing matters at hand but encourage corruption.
NTSA, Karakacha noted, is supposed to be a regulator and not to be on the roads.
The chairman instead urged the government to give more powers to traffic commandants and increase mobile police to manage traffic in their regions.
He said they support any move to have traffic police on the roads to enforce traffic rules.
