Nairobi Deputy Governor Polycarp Igathe has announced that a ban on matatus operating in the Nairobi Central Business District (CBD) will take effect from January 2018.
Governor Mike Sonko had introduced the ban in September but bowed to pressure and decided to shelve it the same month, citing 'consultations with stakeholders'.
Igathe divulged that Public Service Vehicles (PSVs) coming from upcountry areas to Nairobi will be required to terminate their trips outside the city centre from January 2nd.
Matatu saccos will also not be allowed to park in the city centre.
Igathe, who also co-chairs the Special Taskforce on Nairobi alongside Tourism Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala, called on PSV owners to invest in land to park their vehicles.
[caption caption="Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko with Polycarp Igathe"]
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He stated: “If you have 200 vehicles and you have nowhere to park them, you better buy a piece of land to park your vehicles. There are some who have already bought a piece of land.
"If you don’t have a place to park then you should create a marshalling system where you call a matatu for pick and drop,” Igathe added.
He further revealed that a meeting would be set up with stakeholders, but the ban was not up for debate.
"“I will be meeting all the stakeholders to agree on this. We are not going to debate it because the debate was held on August 8, we wrote it in our manifesto that we are going to make Nairobi a congestion free area.
"We cannot be a country where we debate things forever and delay implementation of issues,” Igathe concluded.
[caption caption="President Uhuru Kenyatta with Polycarp Igathe"]
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