Elsewhere, Mt Kenya Matatu owners Association have threatened to go to court to force the government rescind the decision of banning the 14 seater matatus from operation. The current chairman Michael Muchiri Kariuki said the government will have to listen to them as over half a million people may lose their job if the decision to ban the 14 seater from the roads is implemented. Kariuki speaking in Embu during a meeting with officials representing over 91 matatu Saccos said persistent to implement the ban may lead the operators calling for a country wide strike. He said the association has written an appeal to the minister for transport who is yet to respond to their request. Kariuki said there is an existing gap since the government declined to register new 14 seater matatus in the country. The chairman said they are not opposed to introduction for buses in the Central Business district but the buses cannot access the rural areas where the 14 seater should be allowed to operate. He said removal of the category will take back the country to the old days which are practically impossible adding that the government should give them a hearing to save the industry. Manyatta Member of parliament, who also attended the meeting in his capacity as a stake holder in the matatu industry, said the excuse of the road safety the government is giving for the ban of 14 seater is not good enough to scrap the whole sector considering the big number of people who depend on the industry. He said the government should address the whole spectrum and not from only one angle. Kathuri picked the traffic department as the greatest impediment to road safety in the country saying the government should deal with the problem first before turning to banning the 14 seater matatus. |
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