A standoff is brewing between matatu operators and a section of Nairobi residents who have filed a petition in court seeking to have all matatus removed from the Central Business District (CBD).
The two petitioners want the court to suspend the operations of at least 12 SACCOs, arguing that they pick up and drop off passengers within petrol stations located in the city centre, posing serious safety concerns.
Through their lawyers, the petitioners are also seeking orders to suspend the Public Service Vehicle (PSV) licences of the affected SACCOs and to stop operations at specific petrol stations used as pick-up and drop-off points until safety standards are enforced.
They argue that allowing matatus to operate inside or near fuel stations exposes passengers and other users to potential accidents and fire risks.
According to the petition, one of the petrol stations cited is located in downtown Nairobi, serving routes to Thika, Ngara, Pangani, Muthaiga, Kenyatta University, Gatundu, Mangu, Murang’a, and other parts of the central corridor.
The second is at OTC, which handles routes to Western Kenya, including Nakuru, Eldoret, Kitale, Bungoma, Yala, Siaya, Nyamira, and Kisii.
The third petrol station mentioned is at Afya Centre, which serves matatus plying routes along Mombasa Road, Kangundo, Tala, Kitui, Machakos, Makueni, and the eastern region. The petitioners maintain that the use of petrol stations as matatu termini violates safety and zoning regulations and puts both operators and passengers at risk.
Matatu Owners
However, lawyers representing the matatu SACCOs on Tuesday, while addressing the press outside Milimani courtrooms, dismissed the petition as ill-intentioned and economically destructive. They argued that the matatus only pick up passengers and park outside the petrol stations, therefore not posing any significant risk.
Lawyers Dunstan Omari, Stanleigh Kinyanjui, and Swiga Martina, representing the affected SACCOs, said that the petitioners’ demands, if granted, would lead to massive job losses and cripple small businesses that depend on the public transport sector, including fuel stations and vehicle maintenance garages.
Additionally, Omari, alongside the legal team, vowed to challenge the directive during court sessions, claiming it was filed without proper consultation and does not take into account the economic and social implications.
They further stated that removing matatus from the CBD would paralyse transport and hinder the city’s day-to-day operations.
“We received instructions from members of 12 SACCOs totalling over 1,000 units operating within the CBD. The matatu industry contributes significantly to both county and national government revenues. We are urging the court to dismiss this petition, as it will cripple city transport and disrupt both human and motorised traffic,” said Kinyanjui.
He added that the petition does not serve the interests of the general public but rather aims to frustrate small-scale operators. “It also fails to consider the livelihoods of passengers, vehicle service personnel, and other stakeholders within the transport chain,” he noted.
Previous Removal Attempts
The lawyers cited the failed transition to the Green Park Bus Terminal as a cautionary tale, saying the government spent billions of shillings on the facility only for it to remain largely idle, resulting in continued congestion and disorder in the CBD.
They argued that previous attempts by the county government to ban matatus from entering the city centre have failed due to poor planning and a lack of alternatives.
Currently, some of the main matatu stages in the Nairobi CBD include those around River Road, Koja, Ambassador, Archives, Railways, Country Bus, OTC Bus Station, Odeon and KenCom, among others.
