There is tension between matatu operators and traders at Migori bus park due to congestion.
PSV crews on Wednesday threatened to stop paying taxes to the county government if vegetable vendors and fishmongers are not moved from the park.
Migori Matatu Operators Union chairman George Rarieda said the county government should find an alternative venue for the vendors since they are putting their lives in danger by doing business in the crowded park.
“There is congestion and tension in the bus park since vendors occupy our space especially in the evenings. The place is filthy. Passengers and matatu operators are at risk of diseases like cholera,” Rarieda said.
On Sunday, a matatu that was reversing to pick up passengers knocked down a women who was selling vegetables.
There was chaos after the county government early this year cleared illegal structures built along the busy Isibania-Migori ahead of construction of multi-million shilling infrastructure projects. Traders were left without a place to sell their wares.
Taxis and stall owners are competing for the limited space available to do their business.
Matatu operator Jack Gumbo said,”We have talked about the issue of women selling vegetables and fish in the bus park. Whenever we complain to the person concerned, he says that his work is to collect revenue and not to see how people are selling their goods.”
Police on January 24 fired into the air to disperse boda boda and taxi operators who were fighting over space after it degenerated into street battles.
A day earlier, taxi drivers at the bus stage assaulted a boda boda rider who had parked his motorcycle at their stage. This sparked an all out fight between boda boda riders and taxi drivers who engaged the police in running battles.
Boda boda riders plotted a revenge attack and followed a taxi driver to Nyabisawa village, 10km from Migori town. Nyabisawa chief Bernard Alila prevented them from burning his homestead after assaulting his family members.
Migori Small Traders Association chairman Samuel Migore said, “When the town was reorganised there was no proper planning to accommodate the new stage.”
Trader Anne Achayo said the tension is caused by the Migori county government moving traders along the busy Migori-Kisii-Isebania highway three months ago.
Migori Governor Okoth Obado, through communications director Nicholas Anyuor, said the problems at the bus park are going to be addressed soon by the county government.
“We understand the problem at the bus park where women traders invade it in the evenings to sell vegetables and fish. The county government will soon bring sanity,” he said.
Public Works and Roads executive Moses Chamwada said structures were removed to avert accidents.
Edited by P Wanambisi
