Poll violence: Mash Bus halts services to four towns
A bus company has closed its offices in parts of Western and Nyanza due to insecurity after the repeat presidential election.
Mash East Africa stopped operations to and from Kisumu, Mumias, Kakamega and Malaba towns last Saturday.
SAFETY
The management said the move was meant to protect passengers’ lives and also prevent the possible destruction of the vehicles.
The towns experienced protests after the repeat presidential election conducted last Thursday.
Speaking to the Nation at the bus’s Mwembe Tayari office in Mombasa County, General-Manager Lennox Shallo said the offices had to be closed and the buses withdrawn.
“We have closed to secure our buses and also the lives of the passengers. If my property is destroyed, no one will pay me,” he said.
Mr Shallo said the business is also performing poorly as the number of passengers has dropped drastically.
FEW TRAVELLERS
A day before the October 26 repeat presidential poll, the company had two buses full with passengers.
“We had two buses operating to and from Nairobi carrying the many passengers before the recently concluded election. However, we now only have a few people travelling. Like now [Saturday] only 10 people are travelling to Nairobi,” he said.
Mr Shallo added that people have stopped travelling from Mombasa as it is safer in the county than other parts of the country.
“Mombasa is safer. This may be the reason why people have postponed travelling,” he added.
Bus operations from Mombasa to Nairobi have also been affected by the Madaraka Express as most passengers prefer the train services due to safety and speed.