Nakuru County Government can breath a sigh of relief after a court suspended orders barring them from collecting revenue from matatu operating service.
Justice Teresia Matheka of the Nakuru High Court suspended the orders on grounds that the case was pending judgement in another court.
“It has come to my attention, through communication by the deputy registrar, that there is a similar matter before Justice Joel Ngugi pending judgment.
"This fact was not disclosed to me, otherwise I would not have issued the orders,” Matheka ruled.
The county government risked losing an annual revenue of Ksh206 million had the orders not been revoked.
Reports indicate that 8,600 PSVs each pay Ksh2,000 monthly to the Nakuru County Government.
Initially, Judge Matheka had suspended the collection of revenue from Public Service Vehicles (PSVs) following a suit filed by Central Rift PSV Transporters Cooperative Society Limited on December 15, 2020.
"Pending the hearing and determination of the application inter parte hearing, a conservatory order is hereby issued barring the respondent, its agents or person acting under its authority from demanding from the petitioners' fees for seasonal tickets,” Matheka ruled on Friday, January 15.
Through their lawyer David Mongeri, the matatu sector sought to bar the revenue collection after they were relocated out of the town's Central Business District (CBD).
They cited that the relocation to privately owned premises resulted in loss of earnings yet the County Government still demanded the monthly fees..
According to court documents, the matatu operators still operated in unsafe and unhygienic environments that lack proper sanitation despite the monthly revenue collection.
