Kiambu Senator Karungo Thang'wa on Thursday, June 22, called on the Senate Standing Committee on National Security, Defence and Foreign Relations to review the security and safety measures put in place to protect cab-hailing users.
The senator raised concerns about the increasing number of insecurity reports involving cab-hailing service providers, particularly those using e-taxi companies.
He urged the committee to provide details about the safety measures put in place by the cab-hailing companies to ensure thorough vetting of their drivers during the onboarding process.
"He also demanded that the state develops policies and regulations that the companies will have to implement in order to address the numerous complaints of insecurity by their users, especially those using the e-taxi company, in order to safeguard passenger safety," read part of the communication from the Senate.
The senator noted that these policies and regulations should include measures such as mandatory background checks for driver and the installation of dashcams in all cabs.
Thang'wa also wanted to know if taxi companies had created systems for passengers to report suspicious activity while in public service vehicles.
The call for action came amidst a growing public concern among passengers about the safety of cab-hailing users.
The lawmaker was alarmed by the high number of high-profile cases of sexual assault and robbery involving cab-hailing users.
The Kiambu Senator noted that the state had a role to play in ensuring the safety of cab-hailing users. The government can develop policies and regulations that will help protect passengers and hold cab-hailing companies accountable.
He received massive support from his colleagues who stated that it was a step in the right direction.
It is important that the government and the cab-hailing companies work together to address the issue of insecurity and to ensure the safety of cab-hailing users.
They argued that the companies need to do more to vet their drivers and to provide passengers with a way to report suspicious activity.
