Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei now wants the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) to withdraw its notice that directed Public Service Vehicle (PSV) operators to remove unauthorised artwork, including graffiti, from their vehicles.
Recently, NTSA threatened to suspend and revoke the licences of motorists who would fail to comply with the notice, further stating that it would also impound the non-compliant vehicles.
Cherargei, in a statement on Thursday, May 29, termed NTSA's directive as retrogressive and backwards. He also termed it primitive and illegal as it undermines freedom of expression, thought, art and consciousness.
According to the lawmaker, the Authority's controversial decision to ban PSVs with artwork was unlawful since the graffiti was an identity of Kenya's matatu industry.
Cherargei further noted that several young people in Kenya depend on the graffiti business to make a living and that banning that art would deny them their rights.
"NTSA's move to ban matatu graffiti, which is an identity and a matatu industry culture in Kenya, is retrogressive, backwards, primitive and illegal because it undermines freedom of expression, thought, art and consciousness," Cherargei said.
He went on to add: "This directive must be rescinded. They are young people in Kenya who depend on this graffiti business to eke out a living in scarce opportunities."
NTSA on Tuesday, May 26, expressed concerns over an increase in the number of motorists, particularly PSV operators, using modified graffiti and other unauthorised artistic enhancements on their vehicles.
The Authority lamented that the use of graffiti and other artistic enhancements made its officers unable to identify the name of the SACCO or the company under which the vehicle operates.
It also claimed that the use of the unauthorised artistic features made it difficult for law enforcement officers to identify the continuous yellow line that distinguishes licensed PSVs and other vehicles.
"The Authority has observed widespread non-compliance with these regulatory provisions, especially among commuter PSVs. A notable number of vehicles have been modified through the application of graffiti and other unauthorised artistic enhancements," NTSA revealed.
To address the matter, the Authority directed all PSV operators to conduct an immediate and comprehensive audit of their fleets to ensure full compliance with the directive.
