Kenyans in different parts of the country have been left stranded as the countrywide traffic crackdown was effected on Monday. The now infamous Michuki rules targeting road sanity and PSVs suitability have highlighted the current state of the transport sector, as many PSVs have been withdrawn form the roads. In Nairobi, many matatus were nowhere to be seen, and the few that were present were charging exorbitant fares and in most cases, more than double the normal price.
Commuters revealed being charged double the normal amount they pay on a regular normal day to access the Nairobi CBD from different parts of Nairobi, and even vehicles coming from the city centre had hiked fares. Many commuters were forced to walk to town, and moreover, the traffic snarl was evident given the number of personal vehicles on the roads.
Last week Interior CS Fred Matiang’i said the sanity on the roads must be restored and the government must act now to tame the rogue transport sector operators who he said have become a law unto themselves. “We must change and we are going to change because we can’t continue to live this way. No one has lied to us that it’s going to be a walk in the park, what we are about to undertake is a tough journey but we’ll walk that path or else slowly but surely we’ll lose the country,” he said.
