• Sakaja had directed that the long-distance matatus should move to the terminus effective Thursday.
• The long-distance matatus however got a reprieve after the High court temporarily stopped their move to the Green Park terminus.
Image: FILE
The Matatu Owners Association has lashed out at Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja for allegedly failing to involve them in his decongestion plan.
Association Chairman Simon Kimutai said the governor failed to involve them but instead engaged “cartels and brokers”.
“Call the people you want to engage and talk to them and let them give you the best method,” Kimutai said.
The chairman addressed the media on Friday at Kenyatta International Convention Centre during the association’s annual general meeting.
Kimutai was accompanied by MOA CEO Patricia Mutheu and NTSA’s Director Christopher Wanjua.
He said Sakaja won’t succeed by using force to remove matatus from CBD.
“Look at it now, the court has stopped it. What happens now? Now you start going to legal issues and you can’t succeed. The best thing is stakeholder engagement involvement in a decision that affects their business is very important,” Kimutai said.
He advised Sakaja to talk to the “real owners instead of brokers and cartels who have already placed themselves everywhere in Nairobi.
“It is the only way that the issue can be resolved, if there is a stalemate, go to the table and talk and agree,” Kimutai said.
Sakaja had directed that the long-distance matatus should move to the terminus effective Thursday.
The long-distance matatus however got a reprieve after the High court temporarily stopped their move to the Green Park terminus.
On Wednesday, Justice Hedwig Ong’udi ruled that the status quo should remain until December 13 when the case filed by the Matatu Owners will be mentioned.
“The court issues an order to the effect that the current status quo in this matter shall be maintained up to December 13 when the matter comes for directions,” the order reads.
In the case, North Rift Luxury Shuttle, Madaraka Prestige, Transline, Great Rift Shuttle, Legacy Luxury, Kina 2015 Classic, Sasaline Classic Shuttle, Blue line, Team Swat and Transliner Galaxy moved to court challenging Sakaja's directive.
Through Lawyer Wycliffe Omayio, they claim that on November 18 Sakaja informed them that they will move from their current locations to the new terminus beginning December 1.
Omayio said the decision was discriminatory and it was arrived at while excluding his clients' arch-rivals, especially now when the festive season is at its peak for the matatu industry.