Transport players and passengers have expressed mixed reactions over the Nairobi County proposal to instill discipline and restore sanity in the matatu sector.
The proposals include enforcing cashless payments, a requirement for passengers to line up in matatu stages and powers to county officials to control fares in the city. "When six or more persons are waiting to enter any public service vehicle at the designated stopping place or terminus, shall form a queue and no person shall enter a public service vehicle or attempt to enter ahead of any person if in front of the line," the draft reads in part.
Even so, once this becomes the law all matatu operators will be given a period of one year to shift from payment of fares using cash to cashless.
But some sector players argue that the regulations are punitive and mostly where the county dictates mode of payment. The say the document ought to be subjected to public participation. "Our business is very tricky, like when picking passengers off your main stages, it will definitely be very difficult.
