By ANJELLAH OWINO and RAWLINGS OTIENO
Kenya: The government will crack down on public service vehicles (PSVs) that do not install the new digital speed governors that have been approved by the National Transport Safety Authority (NTSA).
Transport Principal Secretary Nduva Muli said yesterday that matatu operators must install the gadgets by April 1 or face the law. “We will not extend the deadline of installing the digital speed governors after April 1. All the PSVs must ensure that there is some order on the roads,” said Muli.
Speaking during the official launch of Nairobi’s transport digital map yesterday, the PS challenged the Nairobi County authorities to come up with new routes that can be identified by road users easily.
“We shall licence the new routes once the county government comes up with them. We are not good at city planning but providing transport management systems,” he said.
Muli maintained that the Ministry would only issue licences to operators who comply with the law and the directives issued by NTSA.
“As we implement new PSV licences, any operators who do not follow the rules will face the law,” he warned.
He also threatened that NTSA will make sure that it revokes licences of matatu operators who flout the rules and bar them from ferrying passengers.
Speaking at the same function, Nairobi County Executive Officer in charge of Public Works and Transport Evans Ondieki disclosed that parking areas would be automated to reduce congestion in the city.
He said plans were under way to raise parking fees and charge motorists on hourly basis.
“We will automate parking areas and raise charging fees to bar motorists from parking their cars within the CBD. We believe this measure will decongest the city,” said Ondieki.
The official hinted that once the traffic marshals are trained to deal with the traffic mayhem, digital traffic lights will be left to operate on their own and will only be interrupted when there is a presidential motorcade or an ambulance.
Matatu Owners Association chairman Simon Kimutai, called for an extension of the deadline for installation of the speed governors. “The law is good but the time frame is not practical. The deadline needs to be moved to a year. The government needs to change its tact in dealing with certain issues such as these,” said Kimutai.
