Police order five-seater Kakamega town Marutis to cease operations

Some of the PSV vehicles parked outside the county offices in Kakamega. [Duncan Ocholla, Standard]

Kakamega OCPD Joseph Chebii has ordered town service vehicles operators to cease operations.

It is alleged that the vehicles, locally known as ‘maruti’, have not complied with traffic rules.

The five-seater matatus, which offer taxi services, operate as public service vehicles yet they have been licensed for taxi services.

George Amwayi, the chairperson of the Town Service Vehicles Operators, however, said they had complied with all traffic rules and did not understand why they had been stopped from operating.

“On Monday morning, we received an order stating that all our vehicles that would operate today would be impounded. We are saddened since we had been told nothing prior to this. We are operating within the laws as we have complied with the traffic rules,” Mr Amwayi said yesterday.

The operators were planning to hold a peaceful demonstration to the office of the OCPD and later march to the office of the governor to seek a clarification of the order. Before the nationwide crackdown seeking to enforce ‘Michuki rules’, the vehicles used to ferry at least seven passengers, but have since reduced the number to five, as required.