Nakuru County Government has unveiled a comprehensive public transport Code of Conduct to ensure the City’s public transport system is safe, efficient and without any form of public harassment.
This comes even as the County’s administration announced that it was determined to rein on sexual and physical harassment surrounding the multi-billion sub-sector.
County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Transport and Infrastructure Engineer Michael Kamau said the code which was developed through consultations with research institutions and stakeholders, seeks to set up behavioral standards for public service vehicle Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies (Saccos), transport crew and partners in order to achieve a socially safe public transport system that is run within the law.
Speaking during the launch of the Code, Engineer Kamau noted that Kenya’s public transport system has been awash with harassment be it physical or sexual with women bearing the worst burden and assured that the County government is committed to ensuring that the industry was safe, affordable and reliable for Nakuru residents.
The CECM clarified that the code of conduct will apply to all vehicle operators in the public transport industry, where the code was expected to restore order and enhance service quality within the Matatu industry and other public transport sectors in Nakuru City.
Engineer Kamau further explained that the comprehensive Code of Conduct will not only apply for matatu operators but also for tuk-tuks, bodaboda riders and all forms of public transport.
“This code is comprehensive as its development involved extensive public participation and consultations with various stakeholders, including the County government, National Police Service, and the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA),” Eng Kamau explained.
According to the contents of the code, harassment manifests itself in the form of unwelcome touching, sexually explicit physical contact, staring or leering, suggestive comments or jokes, sexually explicit pictures or posters, unnecessarily familiarity such as deliberately brushing up against a person or insults or taunts based on gender.
The Code places certain obligations on players in the public transport sector including NTSA, matatu owners, matatu Sacco officials, crew (drivers and conductors) as well as passengers, added the County official.
Engineer Kamau elaborated that the Code was grounded in key principles such as promoting sustainable mobility, addressing climate change through environmental conservation, ensuring respect and non-discrimination for the users of public transport, guaranteeing professionalism to provide a harassment-free travel experience, and committing to the well-being of vulnerable groups in the community.
To promote awareness and understanding of the Code, the CECM said sensitisation meetings will be organised with matatu operators, highlighting its significance for both the residents of Nakuru City and the operators themselves.
According to the Code, drivers and conductors are required not to work under influence of alcohol and other psychotropic substances or making threats or engaging in violent activities targeted at fellow crew members, employees, passengers, law enforcement officers and staff of competitors.
Others are causing physical injury to another person or being in possession of offensive weapons while on duty, aggressive or hostile behaviour that creates reasonable fear or injury to another person or forcing passengers to board one’s vehicle while holding, dragging or verbally abusing them with a view of shaming them into submission.
For matatu owners, SACCOs and management companies they are expected to provide a safe and clean environment free of harassment, discrimination and substance abuse, while vehicles are kept in a roadworthy condition and drivers, conductors and other crew are properly trained and licensed in accordance with NTSA regulations.
Engineer Kamau pledged that the County Government was determined to upscale surveillance and enforcement and ensure matatu crew adhere to the set regulations.
By Esther Mwangi
