Sh600m Nyeri matatu terminus roars into action after years of stalemate

The government has formed a 22-member committee to oversee the relocation.

by ALICE WAITHERA

Central14 August 2025 - 07:05

In Summary

The county hopes the move will free up CBD space, improve safety for pedestrians, and boost parking revenue.
Matatu leaders, including 4NTE chairperson Wilfred Kimotho and Nyena chairperson Peter Theuri, have agreed to dialogue.

A Sh600 million modern matatu terminus in Nyeri, built to ease traffic congestion and boost the local economy, is finally set to come to life after lying idle for nearly three years.

Funded by the World Bank under the Kenya Urban Support Programme, the facility was completed in 2021 but remained unused as matatu operators resisted relocation from the town centre.

Named after legendary Mau Mau field marshal Muthoni wa Kirima, the terminus sits about 1.5km from Nyeri’s Central Business District. It boasts 240 bays for matatus, buses, taxis, and tuk-tuks, 98 booking offices, 40 parking bays, 51 lorry bays, and 94 passenger waiting bays. It also houses 1,000 business stalls, five sanitation blocks, water tanks, and a waste management facility.

When President William Ruto commissioned it in August 2023, traders from Kamukunji grounds were moved in — but business stalled when matatu operators refused to follow.

In 2024, seven matatu saccos — including Nyena, 2NK, 4NT, Namuga, 3NCK, NIM, and Gakanango — took the county government to court, arguing that the relocation lacked proper public participation and would hurt their earnings as the new site was “too far” from the CBD.

Their petition was dismissed in June 2025 by Justice Kizito Magare, clearing the way for relocation.

Governor Mutahi Kahiga has since struck a conciliatory tone, forming a 22-member committee — including PSV operators’ representatives — to oversee the transition.

“We must move together. The relocation process must not disrupt business,” he said during a meeting with operators at the Nyeri Cultural Centre.

The county hopes the move will free up CBD space, improve safety for pedestrians, and boost parking revenues, while also stimulating growth in nearby Kangemi, Classic, and Ruring’u through increased passenger traffic.

Matatu leaders, including 4NTE chairperson Wilfred Kimotho and Nyena chairperson Peter Theuri, have agreed to dialogue, saying the committee will help craft a relocation plan that works for all sides.

“This is a transformational project for Nyeri,” Governor Kahiga said. “It will enhance mobility, create order, and offer better facilities for both passengers and operators.”