Nairobi News

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Showdown looms as PSV owners vow to defy Sonko ban


Public Service Vehicle (PSV) operators have vowed to defy Nairobi county government plan to kick them out of the central business district starting Monday in a move which is set to paralyse transport within the city.

Matatu Owners Association (MOA) chairman Simon Kimutai said Thursday new termini proposed by the county do not have space to hold more than 16,000 PSVs travelling to the city on a daily basis.

The points outside the city centre also lack basic amenities such as lighting and toilets for crew members who will be operating the vehicles.

JOGOO ROAD

“We have over 1,000 vehicles coming into the city centre on Waiyaki Way and another 2,000 on Jogoo Road. We can’t go there because there will be a serious traffic congestion in the city,” said Mr Kimutai.

Public service vehicles have been banned from entering Nairobi city centre starting Monday as City Hall moves to decongest the capital. In a notice published in the dailies Thursday, the county government says it has established 11 termini.

County Executive for Transport Mohamed Dagane said each matatu should not take more than five minutes to pick or drop passengers.