National Youth Service (NYS) buses are set to be commercialized should Parliament draft the necessary legislation.
The government has requested the legislative arm to draft the law that will convert the buses, which have been ferrying passengers at a low cost, to profit-making ventures.
The proposed change to the Statute Law (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill states: "The service may undertake such activities, including activities of a commercial nature, as may be necessary for the achievement of its objectives and the effective performance of its functions."
Until the launch of the "Operation Okoa Abiria" programme which committed 26 of the 29 NYS buses to public service, the vehicles were being used in community work to ferry NYS personnel.
[caption caption="File image of passengers boarding an NYS bus"]
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NYS Director General Richard Ndubai had earlier explained that the fares charged by NYS were low because the venture was not intended for profit.
"We are not doing this for profit. The fare will only cater for fuel costs. Wananchi have been suffering and we hope that this will bring discipline on the roads as well as stabilise fares.
"We are about public service and meeting the needs of Kenyans, which have not been met by the other groups. Further, we only have the buses operating from Monday to Friday during rush hour," he explained.
Public Service Cabinet Secretary Margaret Kobia had earlier told Members of Parliament (MPs) that the fare was only able to cover fuel costs.
"Unless Nairobi gets mass transport, all these are short-term measures. After we acquire 20 more buses, we’ll be able to say how sustainable this is," she urged.
Parliament would later approve the Ksh500 Million fund from the national budget to go towards the purchase of additional NYS buses involved in commuter service.
The Budget and Appropriations Committee, however, noted: "It was not clear whether the allocation had been spent in line with the Constitution."
[caption caption="File image of CS Kobia (right) with State House official Dennis Itumbi and NYS Director General Richard Ndubai (in uniform)"]
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