County Transport meeting aborts after matatu operators disrupt proceedings.
A meeting convened by Kiambu County Government to streamline
the transport industry in Thika Town ended in a huff yesterday after members of
the Matatu Owners Association (MOA) differed with the organisers of the forum
that was chaired by Christopher Wanjau, the Thika County Transport Committee
Chairman.
The matatu owners demanded an explanation on several issues,
among them the criteria under which the committee was constituted
notwithstanding a row over some items of its agenda.
Among the items on the agenda was the election of public
service vehicle (PSV) representatives which the matatu body argued was
manipulated to oust the bona fide elected officials to bring on board people
friendly to the authorities.
The matatu owners further accused
the county government of working with non-matatu owners behind the scenes
without recognising the duly registered body to deliberate on matters related
to the PSV industry.
“We cannot allow the county
Government to handpick makangas (touts) to represent the matatu industry in
this committee. We are the bona fide officials and the right people to decide
who sits in the committee on our behalf,” said Rufus Ngugi Kariuki, the Central
region Matatu Owners Association Chairperson.
Kariuki said that as an industry,
they would not allow themselves to be micromanaged by the county government,
adding that they were investors in their own rights whose operations were
guided by the law.
The matatu owners scheduled a ‘members-only’
meeting on Tuesday next week where they would chart out their memorandum to the
county government besides choosing their two representatives to the county transport
committee.
However, it emerged that the bone
of contention was emanating from matatu rivalry with a second group accusing
the association of matatu owners of sabotaging its efforts to operate in the
town.
Speaking on behalf of the
latter, Joseph Muhia, who is the Chairman of Chania Prestige Sacco said that (MOA)
was hell-bent to suppress new Saccos out of business with intent to dominate
and control the industry.
He accused MOA of
frustrating their registration by The National Safety and Transport Authority
(NTSA) through their influence and financial might, something that had rendered
most of their members out of business.
“The truth of the matter
is that these group (MOA) are against change and don’t believe in fair competition.
They should let everyone to be free to do business. We therefore appeal to the
county government to also give us a place to operate,” said Muhia.
(Related story: Thika matatu owners give Kiambu Govt. ultimatum to remove illegal termini.)
Committee Chair Christopher Wanjau admitted that the meeting aborted but said the forum will organise another one on Thursday next week.
Committee Chair Christopher Wanjau admitted that the meeting aborted but said the forum will organise another one on Thursday next week.
Wanjau added that their
main objective as a committee was to bring order in the PSV industry especially
in the wake of public concerns over congestion in Thika Town.
“We are not interested on
internal matters of any of these organisations. Our aim is to bring forth all
stakeholders in the industry in order to streamline the transport industry and
seek solutions to the traffic congestion within Thika Town,” explained Wanjau.
The committee comprises of
18 members who include representatives from the county government, the security
agencies, NTSA, and two representatives each from matatu Saccos, Bodaboda Saccos,
Tuktuk Saccos, Taxi Operators among others.
Others include a
representative each from both the business and residents associations.
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