• Health CS Mutahi Kagwe directed 14-seater matatus to carry a maximum of eight passengers, 25-seaters to carry 15, buses whose sitting capacity is 30 and above to have 60 per cent sitting capacity.
• A spot check by the Star on Monday indicated that many routes have increased double the fare passengers are used to pay.
Image: COURTESY
Fares have been hiked in major parts of Nairobi City as Public Service Vehicles implement the government's social distancing order to curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
Last Friday, Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe directed 14-seater matatus to carry a maximum of eight passengers, 25-seaters to carry 15, buses whose sitting capacity is 30 and above to have 60 per cent sitting capacity.
The CS said that if they don't comply, the sacco's licenses will have to be revoked.
Image: DANIEL OGENDO
A spot check by the Star on Monday indicated that many routes have increased double the fare passengers are used to pay.
In Umoja, fares hiked from about Sh70 to Sh200 one-way.
This made some passengers to stand on different stages as they waited for the fare to be reduced.
From Kasarani to the CBD, passengers were forced to pay double the fare.
"I'm not a happy citizen. It took me 15mins to get to town but paid Sh100 bob!! Considering there was no traffic and it was at 5:45 am I was supposed to pay Sh50. I love that they are taking the necessary measures that are the use of sanitizers and minimizing the number of passages but what I don't get is why we have to pay for the empty seats!" Jacinta Wanjiru told the Star.
Lewis Nyaundi told the Star he had to part with Sh200 from Ongata Rongai to town and another Sh70 from the CBD to Westlands.
Kasarani Matatus are doing well, social distance has been obversed fully although bus fares have hiked. Can the government reduce fuel prices to 50/=? #KasaraniUpdates
— Kasarani Updates (@Kasarani_Update) March 23, 2020
09:11 Good morning !Thika road matatus have hiked their fares, how about where you are?#COVIDIOTS#coronaviruskenya #coronaInkenya via @_Nyakeru
— Ma3Route (@Ma3Route) March 23, 2020
While we want to complain about hiked fares fuel prices remain the same and so do the county parking fees. So this is what we call necessary evil
— kichuna (@mariakemmy) March 23, 2020
Matt's in Rongai HV distancing, sanitizers, dettol sprays😅 ata hand wash plus super hiked fares.
— Whitney💞 (@Whitneynyairo) March 23, 2020
@citizentvkenya @ntvkenya @InteriorKE Kenya needs a lockdown. Forcing the social distancing rule on public vehicles only hurts citizens due to hiked fares. When push comes to shove, even the so called critical sectors will have to shut down.
— Chris Pine (@McOsinjo) March 23, 2020
With the government initiative encouraging distancing in public service vehicles, poor Kenyans have now resorted to using a cheaper alternative being the train that plys the over populated suburbs after matatus hiked their fares earlier today.#corona#coronainkenya pic.twitter.com/xiL5TgFrwT
— Luscious (@Lusciou46904294) March 23, 2020
Matatu Owners Association chairperson Simon Kimutai told the Star on Monday that the directive from the government was not sustainable at all.
"The government has got to address this situation. Otherwise, we have no way out but to increase the fares," he said.
Many passengers also resorted to using SWVL for their commute.
"This is just like Sh50, unlike the matatus that have hiked their fares.," commuter Mary Wanjiru told the Star.
Even though SWVL is the better option, it does not adhere to social distancing.
Police have also enhanced the crackdown of matatus. Vehicles that have carried excess passengers are being stopped.
"This will not work. Buses from Uthiru carry excess passengers but when they reach near a police area, they tell some passengers to alight," another commuter added.
As at 9 am Monday, there were 1,572 confirmed cases of coronavirus, including 47 deaths, in 44 Africa countries.
Kenya has so far confirmed 15 cases with no fatalities. The government is currently tracing 363 people who got into contact with eight new cases that were announced on Sunday.