PSV operators want cartel reined in

A section of matatu operators in Kisii town have appealed to the county government to rid the main bus park of cartels extorting money from them.

The cartels comprising members of an illegal gang, have reportedly taken over the stage and charge each Public Service Vehicle a minimum of Sh100.

Mr Joash Nyabicha, the chairman of Zioline Sacco, said the cartel had locked their 33 vehicles out of the bus park for refusing to pay additional Sh100 per trip.

He said the Sacco has paid the Sh21,000 as annual parking fee and has been remitting Sh60 for each trip to the county government.

"Our Sacco has fully complied with the requirements of the law. We have employed enough people to work for us and cannot understand why the cartel is demanding money from our vehicles. We should be told how many authorities run the bus park," explained Nyabicha.

He said the Sacco's vehicles have not been accessing the bus park since January this year.

"If we agree to the demands of this cartel, our Sacco would lose at least Sh400,000 per month. It is such loss we want to avoid," said Nyabicha.

Incur losses

He said the Sacco owes banks millions of shillings in loans, and if the cartel is allowed to continue controlling the bus park, most matatu owners would incur huge losses.

He expressed fear that the gang could be enjoying protection from either the county government or police as they had reported the matter to the authorities without any action being taken.

Meanwhile, more than 1,500 farmers in Kisii and Migori counties are set to benefit from a Sh1.4 billion German project seeking to boost cultivation of legumes.

The three-year project dubbed "Legume Choices" seeks to expand farming of legumes in Kenya, Democratic Republic of Congo and Ethiopia.

Speaking to The Standard Ingrid Oborn, a senior researcher at World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF), said the initiative is aimed at promoting food security in rural areas.

ICRAF is among the research institutions in the project. "Our aim is to improve food and nutrition security and reduce poverty among rural populations," said Prof Oborn.

Kenya Agricultural Research Institute, Kisii branch Director Oscar Magenya said farmers sometimes  lose up to 100 per cent of their crop due to diseases like bean rust and pests like bean fly, a trend the project hopes to reverse.