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The government has announced it will deploy more National Youth Service (NYS) buses in the ongoing public transport plan to ease traffic in Nairobi.
NYS Director Richard Ndumbai has said 50 additional buses will be rolled out by the end of April to help ease traffic in the city during rush hours.
“We operate only on Mondays to Fridays during peak hours when we know commuters are in dire need. The Sh20 we charge is for fuel and maintenance only,” he said.
"Matatu owners should not feel threatened because as of now only 24 NYS buses provide passenger services," he said.
The Matatu Owners’ Association (MOA) however has opposed the plan, accusing the government of trying to push them out of business. MOA chairperson Simon Kimutai said the move is unfair to matatu owners and operators.
“All routes are not covered due to the few buses we currently have. Residents of Kayole for instance should expect four buses," Ndumbai said.
The move comes days after the Nairobi county government issued a 10-day ultimatum for public service vehicles to vacate the CBD in a bid to decongest the city. Ndumbai said the NYS buses will help ferry passengers to various termini outside the city center if the government approves the plan.
“We have no problem doing so should our services be required to ferry commuters. We understand some termini are a bit far from the city center and some people might have a problem trekking,” he said.
Last week, about 20 buses were deployed to ferry commuters to different estates in Nairobi and has been charging a flat rate of Sh20 to or from the city center.
Comments
Jubilee kazi iendelee ingawa pple dont see it but c/o corruption only, to be honest, each govt got corruption in every country but better to see services coming up, only lets minimize corruption fellow citizens and kenya will be # 1 in Africa with Jubilee steering it
I hope Mkenya Halisi atakumbali kunitafutia kazi yoyote kwenye hizo mabasi.Ata mimi nataka kuingiza mudomo nikatwage mali kama wengine but only when inside the company.I have a plan and in a year i will be a millionaire like other thugs.
I welcome this as a good move, but why are we still left out in this program..? Mathare North is another Estate along Thika Road with dire need of these buses as we have no option, but to be exploited by Matatu no. 29/30 which really dictate their fare as per the magnitude of passengers at the terminus. Kindly consider this route as well..!!
Seems like some sense is kicking in. NYS buses can be the only buses ferrying passengers in and out of the CBD -- good thought.
Walking in the CBD feels good... the messy hawkers are gone....although they are still trying to play hide and seek with kanjo.... So far, GOOD JOB Sonko! Keep those hawkers AWAY!