Matatu Owners Association (MOA) Chairperson Simon Kimutai on Sunday announced that matatus will provide free transport to aged Jubilee supporters and people living with disabilities to enable them to vote on August 8.
Speaking at a meeting with President Uhuru Kenyatta, Mr Kimutai declared MOA's support to the Jubilee team and assured the Head of State that the team would stand him with in his journey.
“We thank you for the reforms you have initiated in the public transport sector that have enabled us to operate with ease and to provide effective services.
"We say with one voice as matatu and boda-boda operators that the Presidential candidate of our choice is Uhuru Kenyatta,” Mr Kimutati stated.
President Kenyatta on his part directed the Ministries of Transport and Infrastructure together with that of the National Treasury to streamline taxation so that public transport operators can buy vehicles at lower prices.
The Head of State noted that with lowered taxation matatu owners would get an enabling environment for their businesses and urged them to ensure that Kenyans who use matatus also benefit from the initiative by paying cheaper fares.
“The public transport sector plays a key role in our economy and we will always work to facilitate its operations,” President Kenyatta stated.
President Kenyatta also addressed issues that the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) would kill business for bus operators stating that SGR would instead create more opportunities for matatu and boda-boda operators as he directed the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure to put up a matatu terminus at every SGR station to facilitate ease transportation of passengers.
For buses, President Kenyatta said his administration was constructing roads across the country and opening up areas where they could operate.
“For example, there were only three buses plying the northeastern route but today we have over 30 because we have improved the road. It also used to take up to three days to travel to the region but now it only takes hours,” the President stated.
President Kenyatta said his administration will continue working with matatu and boda-boda operators in its quest to provide effective transport to Kenyans at an affordable cost.
The Head of State Spoke on Sunday at State House, Nakuru, where he met representatives of matatu and boda-boda operators drawn from the country.
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