Ministry told to go slow on PSV cashless system

Matatu Welfare Association (MWA) Secretary-General Sammy Gitau has called on the Transport Ministry and the National Transport and Safety Authority to go slow on the enforcement of the cashless PSV system.

Mr Gitau told Nation.co.ke that most of the stakeholders and commuters were not prepared for it.

He questioned the manner in which the government was implementing new rules on the sector.

“It is barely two months since the installation of the digital speed governors and compliance rules that almost paralysed the transport system across the country. The government needs to get back to the drawing board over this matter,” Mr Gitau said.

He noted that many of the matatu owners had exhausted their savings in acquiring the new speed governors since there was a need for reducing road carnage in the country.

UNFAVOURABLE TIMING

“These governors were a must-have as we lost many Kenyans due to over-speeding especially within the public transport sector.

"I don’t see the urgency of having the cashless system, it should be gradual and the public needs to be enlightened first. We need civic education for all players and this should be voluntary,” he added.

Mr Gitau said that this may be a scheme for some people to become millionaires overnight. He said most of the matatus in the country were private investments and with stringent regulations, the industry may collapse.

“The government needs to first invest in making our roads before asking us switch to their terms and conditions. We are repairing our vehicles daily due to bad roads and they keep coming up with more measures. It is unacceptable, we will embrace this system in future but not today,” he said.

He said the course is good but the timing had was not favourable and that it would lead to increased unemployment as it would render many of the matatu operators jobless.

EDUCATION FOR COMMUTERS

At the same time, Mombasa Matatu Owners Association (MOA) chairman Salim Ali Batesi said his associates were willing to comply but the commuters needed education.

He said that the government planned to tax both matatus and commuters at the same time, saying that this system did not benefit the common mwanachi.

“The government is blind to the fact that at the end of the day these operators pay themselves, the vehicle requires fuel and that there are unexpected wear and tears on the vehicles and the cash system has helped us sort out such emergencies,” Mr Batesi said.

Boniface Opiyo, a driver plying the Mombasa-Mikindani route told Nation.co.ke that the system would really inconvenience them in many ways.

“The vehicle requires cash at all times. You never know when you may have a crisis; there is fuel, wiring, car wash, and punctures to repair among other things. If you have no money with you you may be stranded,” he said.