We are complying but business is dying - matatu owners

Matatus will comply with the government's directive on curfew despite encountering huge losses since coronavirus was confirmed, the Matatu Owners Association has said. 

Chairman Simon Kimutai on Friday said the public transport sector is losing millions every day adding that the government has sidelined the sector.

“The public transport is almost dead and now with the curfew, we can say we are operating for 12 hours a day. We had some matatus operating 24 hours. The public who were on night shift were depending on us to reach to their various destination but this has been stopped,” he explained to the Star on phone.

As early as 6pm on Friday,  some commuters were stranded in Nairobi's CBD as the status were not available to ferry them out of the city.

“Our members are also law-abiding citizens and needed to get home in time so that the curfew does not find them outside so they had to leave CBD early,” Kimutai said. 

Despite carrying more than 90 per cent of the population, the public transport sector was said to be a weak link in the fight against coronavirus.

The government had ordered all matatus to be washed daily to prevent the spread of the virus. All seats are be disinfected in the morning and at night, and the matatu crew were asked to purchase sanitisers to disinfect all commuters boarding.

Already, the sector is incurring a daily cost of purchasing hand sanitisers. The matatus whose operators cannot afford disinfectants provide commuters with soap and water for handwashing before boarding, the association chairman said. 

“The soap and disinfectants we have bought them with our own money. They are expensive but we have to adhere to orders as our pockets are running dry." 

An example is the PSVs from South B Estate at the Central Bus station, who have set up washing points next to the matatus since they do not have disinfectants. 

Last week, Health CS Mutahi Kagwe announced that passenger service vehicles should carry fewer passengers in the fight against coronavirus. 

The 14-seater matatus were ordered to carry eight passengers, 25-seater buses to carry 15 passengers and those with a capacity of 30 seats above to maintain 60 per cent occupancy. 

As a result, commuters have been forced to dig deeper into their pockets and pay almost double after the PSVs increased their charges. 

“Carrying almost half the passengers than required is affecting our daily targets as a business and this curfew has cut our operations for like six hours. Can you imagine the money we ware loosing just because we have to comply with the Government’s directives?” Kimutai asked. 

Early this week, the matatu owners had asked the government to provide fuel subsidies to lighten the burden passed to commuters.

“We are a law-abiding sector and will support the President in any way to curb the spread of the Covid-19. Despite many Kenyans depending on us for movement, we have not been listed as an essential service,” Kimutai said. 

They want the government to consider the sector before giving more directives that will potentially cripple the business. 

Edited by R.Wamochie