Transport services at the Machakos bus terminus were paralysed Wednesday following Matatu’s countrywide strike over the retesting of drivers by the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA).
Passengers travelling to Nairobi were most affected as operations for public service vehicles ground to a halt.
There was little activity at the terminus except for a few packed matatus and stranded passengers.
Victor Muli, a driver plying the Machakos-Nairobi route, opposed the retesting of drivers, saying the move would not curb the road carnage.
“The retesting will not prevent any accidents; in fact, it will be a burden for drivers and the entire transport sector that is already reeling under high fuel costs,” said Muli.
Ebenezer Mutunga, also a driver, called for a different approach to preventing accidents and asked the government to review fuel prices to tame the cost of living.
However, despite the strike, other business activities ran normally. Boda Boda operators nonetheless reported slow business and attributed it to the recent increase in fuel and high cost of living.
“We have reported a decline in business, mostly due to the high cost of living. Many Kenyans are struggling to meet their basic needs and therefore prefer to foot into areas where they could have used boda boda,” said Benson Kioko, a rider operating in Machakos town.
By Roselyne Kavoo and William Mutunga
