Public service vehicle operators have announced a nationwide strike set to begin on Monday, warning that escalating attacks on matatus and other vehicles have pushed them to the brink.
The Matatu Owners Association (MOA), led by chairperson Albert Karakacha, accused the government of failing to act against boda boda riders allegedly involved in torching public and private vehicles, despite multiple reports to security agencies and transport authorities.
Karakacha said matatu owners no longer feel protected by the state and have been left with no option but to withdraw their vehicles from the roads.
“Our vehicles have been burned; we talked to the police, we have written to the transport minister and nothing has happened. From Monday, we will withdraw all vehicles from the roads until the government listens to us,” Karakacha said.
The operators warned that continued inaction by authorities could trigger retaliatory responses, saying the government has failed in its duty to safeguard private property.
“We will bring back boys who have been manning our businesses because the police cannot protect us,” Karakacha said.
Inter-Corridor Mobility chairperson Joseph Kagai echoed the concerns, saying the situation is rapidly deteriorating and risks spiralling out of control.
“We don’t want to take the law into our hands, but it seems those supposed to protect us have other businesses,” Kagai said.
He issued a stern warning to boda boda riders, recalling past informal systems of enforcement before the matatu industry became established.
“We want to remind boda boda people that before the formation of the matatu industry, we had something called ‘kamjesh’. If the government is not able to protect us, anywhere a boda rider will stop and start stoning a matatu, all vehicles will stop there and deal with them,” Kagai said.
Kagai warned that the planned strike would cripple transport across the country, affecting major towns, cities and key road junctions.
“The situation is slowly becoming uncontrollable, and we don’t understand how the government is losing authority and security of property of our investors,” he said.
“From Monday, we will make sure that in all major towns, cities and roundabouts in the country, there will be no passing until the government addresses this. There will be no business as usual since we will be carrying out a countrywide strike of any four-wheeled vehicle and above,” Kagai added.
The transport operators also said they will demand compensation for vehicle owners whose property has been destroyed.
According to the groups, at least two vehicles; a matatu and a private car, were torched over the weekend. In the past six months alone, at least nine vehicles have been burned, with no arrests reported.
“Everyone has heard that a truck was torched yesterday, a matatu was torched on Friday, and many private vehicles are being burned. Boda boda operators have become the judge, jury and executioner,” Motorists Association of Kenya (MAK) chairperson Peter Murima said.
The operators now want President William Ruto to step in, saying previous appeals to relevant agencies have gone unanswered.
“The only person we are going to listen to is the President because the NTSA, the CS… nobody is listening,” Karakacha said.
If unresolved, the standoff threatens to disrupt public transport nationwide, heightening pressure on the government to restore order and protect investors in the transport sector.
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