100 Matatus Impounded in Major Nairobi Crackdown

Over 100 matatus were impounded within the Nairobi Central Business District (CBD), during a major police crackdown on Thursday morning.

Nairobi County Parking Services Director, Tom Tinega, revealed that the decision to round up the Public Service Vehicles (PSV’s) was due to major traffic pile-ups caused by the matatus.

“We have put the rogue PSV operators on notice, that we are not going to allow them to break the laws. Some of these individuals are careless and so pathetic in the way they do their work. This is a Capital City and sanity must prevail,” Tinega asserted.

The director went on to reveal that the most of the major traffic snarl-ups within the CBD were primarily caused by rogue matatu operators.

“Some matatu operators are very careless as they park, drop and pick passengers in undesignated areas,” he divulged.

Police officers carried out the coordinated crackdown on Latema Road, Moi Lane, Tom Mboya Street, Gill House area and Munyu Road.

Mr Tinega went on to affirm that all the arrested individuals following the large-scale impounding of matatus would be charged in court.

Nairobi county’s latest move to address the traffic menace comes barely weeks since Nairobi Governor, Mike Sonko, issued a warning to all PSV operators, declaring that anyone who flouted the rules would be subjected to the full force of the law.

Governor Sonko had also issued a warning to all his county officials regarding collaborating with PSV operators and allowing them double park or drop off passengers in undesignated areas in return for a bribe, would also be arrested and charged.

The county government had recently proposed a car-free day scheduled for Wednesdays and Saturdays to try and ease up the traffic congestion within the city but was forced to shelve the idea due to poor planning.

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