MGOMO WA MADEREVA WA DARADARA/ MATAU DRIVERS STRIKE

Many Kenyans walked to work this morning as Matatu (local bus) drivers and other employees have announced they will begin a strike starting today that could potentially throw Kenya into a transport crisis.

Public Service Vehicles drivers, conductors and stage touts yesterday said they will suspend all transport across the country to protest the continual harassment, intimidation and bribery by the Kenyan police.

“The briefing today was called and done by Matatu Owners Association our bosses, to give notice of a strike, but us as their workers we are fed up with police extortions and harassments and enough is enough and starting tomorrow (today) prepare to trek to work because we shall protest the wrongs in the sector,” said Matatu Drivers and Conductors Association chairman Samson Wainana.

In a joint press statement signed by Dickson Mbugua who chairs the Matatu Welfare Association, Simon Kimutai of Matatu Owners and Michael Kariuki of Mt Kenya Matatu Owners Association stated,
“We have already notified our members not to go to work, because we are the ones who are hurt most by the police’s barbaric and unlawful acts.”,

The officials gave the Inspector General David Kimaiyo a three-day notice to demand an immediate halt to the intimidating actions against PSVs and hold a discussion within the notice days.

“We have tried to reach out to the Traffic commandant but he has proved to be arrogant and not ready to listen to us. Getting the IG is hard hence the decision to talk to him through the press to get him to come down from his ivory tower and talk to us, failure to which we will resort to an industrial action” stated Mbugua.
The strikers are demanding that traffic boss Samuel Kimaru be replaced and Kimaiyo holds a meeting where they will give a list of traffic officers known for soliciting bribes and harassing matatu crew.

MWANA HARAKATI