Mombasa, KENYA: The Mombasa county health department is set to help Matatu owners fumigate against bedbugs.
This is following an agreement which was reached by the department and the Matatu owners.
Two weeks ago the county had ordered all matatu owners to facilitate the fumigation of their vehicles by paying a sh. 1500 monthly fee to the county.
The order sparked opposition from matatu owners who had vowed that not to pay a single cent for the fumigation process.
Salim Baraak the coordinator of Matatu owners in the region said that it is not fair for them to pay for the treatment on the crisis arguing the during the chikungunya outbreak crisis no payment was asked from the citizens.
“We are not paying the 1500 shillings per month as you had set. It is not fair for you to charge us while during the chikungunya crisis you did it voluntarily” He said.
Some other stakeholders had vowed to go to court seeking an injunction to stop the order.
However, the Friday meeting held at the Koblenz hall Mombasa which was attended by the county chief officer of health, Aisha Abubakar and Mombasa county Matatu stakeholders saw the two stakeholders come up with a solution on how to fight the menace.
The idea that will see the owners foot for the pesticide cost while the county does the fumigation was fronted by the Kisiwani Sacco vice chair Edgar Mutula.
“Instead of paying the money, we will buy the insecticides and you help us with the equipment and experienced people to do the job” He suggested.
Nominated MCA Fatma Kushe had proposed tabling a bill compelling the matatus to pay the monthly fumigation charge.
