The Machakos Department of Health and Lower Eastern Transport Welfare Association have begun fumigating all PSVs belonging to the giant matatu Sacco.
The vehicles ply Machakos, Makueni, Kitui, Kajiado, Mombasa and Nairobi among other routes.
The fumigation will be carried out at the county public works yard from Friday.
The exercise is meant to ensure that all passengers are protected against infection of coronavirus in the festive season when many Kenyans will be travelling to celebrate Christmas and the New Year.
Speaking in Machakos bus station on Thursday morning, the Machakos Health CEC Ancent Kituku said operators will ensure any case of Covid-19 is tackled on site to prevent transmission.
"This is an exercise which has been carried out in conjunction with the matatu owners," he said.
He said the fumigation will help in flattening the curve of coronavirus in the county.
He noted the county has been safe from the second wave of the pandemic as since two weeks ago no new cases of coronavirus have been reported.
"Since September, we had been experiencing the second wave of Covid-19 but for the last 10 days we have noticed that cases have really gone down and it's like the curve has been flattened," he said.
Kituku, however, urged the residents to continue observing the Covid-19 prevention measures, adding that fumigation of the vehicles will also ensure the curve remains flat.
Onesmus Kyalo, LETWA chairman, said the exercise is meant to ensure that all passengers are protected against Covid-19 during this festive season.
The fumigation machines were purchased by the association. All vehicles operating in the Lower Eastern region will be fumigated daily.
He added that similar machines have been distributed to all bus stations in the counties they cover.
Kyalo called on NTSA and the Traffic Department to ensure that PSVs operating from outside Lower Eastern region are kept out to prevent coronavirus infections and road accidents.
Edited by Henry Makori
