Bodaboda Nor Vinono After Matatu Strikes To Complain About Their Hooliganism, They Raise Fares: “Just Carry On”

• Nairobi commuters faced chaos on Monday, February 2, as matatu operators blocked vehicles to protest against increased attacks by bodaboda operators
• On the other hand, bodaboda operators took advantage of the strike, ferrying stranded passengers for two or three fares.
• The matatu owners blamed criminals within bodaboda associations for the attacks on their vehicles and warned that the weekly strikes would continue.
• Kenyans expressed confusion over the disruption, with authorities criticized for using police officers to impound vehicles

Nairobi travelers faced chaos JuthreeFebruary 2 in the morning while matatu operators are on strike to protest the increase in crime in the bodaboda sector.

With public transport at a standstill, motorcycle taxi operators seized the moment, raising fares and reaping windfall profits.

How did Nairobi bodabboda drivers react to the matatu strike?

In the main road including the Road ThikaNgong Road, Mombasa Road, and Jogoo Road, stranded passengers sought alternative routes.

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Boda boda operators ferried passengers around the city, often charging double or triple the normal fare.

“We are bad. We eat…size we eat. It is not official; realize sibi hundred, two hundred and up,” said Onesmus Kiptoo, a bodaboda operator.

For many operators, the strike meant more trips and extra cash amid a tough economic climate that has seen many in the country redouble their efforts to make ends meet.

Arnold Alulu, another operator, said they had no problem with the three operators, reminding them that they were the ones making losses.

“The day is fine, even if I have money, even tomorrow they should do the same. They should continue but they are the ones who are hurting, we have no words,” he said after several trips.

For Nairobi residents, the strike added to the daily travel woes as many expressed frustration with the uncertainty and rising fares.

“It’s unfortunate for us, no one defends us as travellers,” a Nairobi resident shouted.

Why the matatu business owners went on strike

The brutality came after a series of violent incidents targeting matatu drivers where bodaboda drivers were allegedly set on fire after accidents that killed their colleagues.

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The strike, organized by the Matatu Owners Association (MOA), lasted several hours before partial services resumed in the capital.

Cars, like the ones on Thika Road, abandoned passengers in the middle of the road, forcing some commuters to walk long distances or hire motorbike taxis to get to the city centre.

MOA chairman Albert Karakacha blamed criminals within bodaboda associations for the attacks and urged the government to intervene quickly.

He apologized to the passengers, explaining that they are fighting for the safety of every passenger, noting that such aggressive actions will one day cost the lives of passengers.

Karakacha warned about protest of the weekly, saying that the operators will go on strike every Monday until their grievances are addressed.

The Chairman of Inter Corridor Mobility Joseph Kagai supported the tough position, criticizing the government for using officials of GSU to confiscate cars instead of negotiating to restore order.

“This is just the beginning. Instead of listening to us, the government sent GSU officers to confiscate our cars. We want them back and our drivers released,” Kagai warned.

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Source: TUKO.co.ke