• The one way Nairobi-Mombasa is costing travellers Sh2,000 compared to Sh1,000- Sh1,500 previously.
• The Health ministry protocols include carrying fewer passengers in observance of social distancing and keeping passenger manifests for easy contact tracing.
Public service vehicle operators were on Friday accused of selfishness for increasing fares by nearly 100 per cent on some routes after travelling was eased at the beginning of the week.
The travellers said the increase is unwarranted. But the PSV operators said it could not be avoided since they are carrying fewer passengers as per the new protocols imposed by the government to contain the spread of Covid-19.
On Monday, President Uhuru Kenyatta lifted restrictions on movement into and out of the Nairobi Metropolitan Area, and Mombasa and Mandera counties on condition that strict protocols developed to curb the spread of coronavirus are followed.
The protocols include carrying few passengers in observance of social distancing and possession of a special certificate from the Health Ministry to operate from and into counties that had been on lockdown.
Long-distance PSVs must also keep passenger manifests for purposes of contact tracing.
Matatu Owners Association chairman Simon Kimutai justified the increase as people queued for tickets to various destinations.
“This is because of supply and demand…the demand is outweighing the supply,” Kimutai said and hastened to add that Kenya’s economy is liberal.
Matatu Welfare Association chairman Dickson Mbugua told the Star that operators risked grounding their vehicles if they do not increase fares.
He said it was a matter of time before fares were raised. “We have been rendering services without breaking even. But the increase should not to be 100 per cent but 50-70 per cent.”
Some of the travellers we talked to saw no logic in those justifications. The one-way journey to Mombasa from Nairobi was costing Sh2,000 compared to Sh1,000-Sh1,500 previously, depending on coach.
The Kisumu-Nairobi fare was also Sh2,000 compared to the previous Sh1,200.
The pre-Covid-19 fare to Nakuru from Nairobi was Sh350-Sh400. The charge was Sh700+ today.
The operators said they had no choice but to increase the fare to cover operation costs.
“We cannot even afford the fare since we have lost our jobs,” a traveller who chose not to be named said.
Sarah Nduku was headed to Kitui to see her parents for the first time since March when the cessation movement was introduced.
“I work in the city and I used to travel home every three weeks but I have not seen my family since March," said the 24-year-old woman.
Nduku, who was taking face masks, sanitiser and other protective items to her family, was bitter about the increased fares but had to go home.
We found Andrew Kibet with two large boxes and a sackful of items. He was, however, not travelling.
“I chose not to travel. I’m here to send some household stuff to my family in Kericho. I don’t know if the buses have been cleared as the government announced but I think it’s safe to remain in the city,” he told the Star.
PSV operators had in April complained that the travel ban into and out of Nairobi county and the night curfew were costing them Sh2 billion daily and wanted the government to cushion them.
On Friday, Bus Operators of Kenya Association chairman Edwin Mukabana told the Star that fares are expected to stabilise with time.
Mukabana said some of those who had doubled the fares may have not been cleared by government to resume operations.
- mwaniki fm