Matatus stike throws Nairobi Commute into chaos

Where Nairobi woke this morning to weird scenes parts of the matatu industry remained off the roads or hazed their vehicles deliberately over major highways, in an act of protest that had tied traffic throughout the early morning.

Commuters to work at the beginning of the Waiyaki Way in Westlands discovered that there was a long queue of vehicles in a bid to get to their stations or job sites with the matatus either not reporting to the matatu stands or being recorded as congesting currently available lanes.

The police task forces reacted by sending the police to major crossroads urging motorists to seek alternative ways, yet hours later large motor vehicle traffic was still jamming the road as motorists fought their way through.

There were spots of increasing tension. Groups of matatu operators stationed on the Waiyaki Way called on the police to protect their means of livelihood and the police fired tear gas to break them up.

This was a demonstration against the continued complaint over the increasing poverty on the roads caused by increasing violence on the roads especially attacks and burning of vehicles; operators argue that the government has not taken sufficient measures to curb the vice.

In other parts of the city, matatus were making the parking lots all over the Outer Ring Road and the Central Business District of Nairobi, where officers would have to remove number plates and tow vehicles to clear the streets.

The crash was further aggravated by the traffic traveling on the wrong lanes or due to the closure of feeder roads by motorists, the morning rush turned into the close call.

The strike was meant to be suspended following negotiations between transport leaders, boda boda groups and security agencies on the weekend however disunity among transport sector bodies saw some transport operators ignore the suspension and engage in strike. Commuters were also complaining about having to walk long distances, having to spend heavily to access boda bodas and ride-hailing, or they had to travel later.

Companies and learners were put at a loss and according to traffic gurus the repercussions of this morning action would be experienced throughout the transport system of Nairobi most part of the day.