Mombasa, KENYA: Mombasa residents were forced to walk to work on Friday following a crackdown on matatus by the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) and traffic police.
The crackdown was on vehicles without proper speed governors, safety belts and those flouting rules.
“Most of us have resolved to park our vehicles because they don’t have all the requirements to operate. Not all vehicles have got safety belts, lights e.t.c,” said one of the matatu operators.
This inspection affected many residents who could not report to work on time with some resorting to boda boda and tuk tuk as means of transport while others had to walk.
“What can we do surely! No matatus and the ones available are taking advantage of the situation and hiking fares, so we have to walk,’’ said James who was heading to walk.
This comes barely a month after interior CS Fred Matiang’i warned that no vehicle will be allowed to operate without adhering to the traffic rules, famously known as ‘Michuki rules’, a move that greatly affected the transport sector countrywide for weeks.
