NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 27 – Matatu operators have threatened to ground their vehicles from Tuesday next week if the government does not lift COVID-19 restrictions on a limited number of passengers.
The operators are protesting the requirement on 60 per cent capacity imposed in March by the Ministry of Health to help contain the spread of COVID-19.
“Either we carry full capacity or we take all our vehicles to the police station by next week Tuesday, the Corona that’s in matatus is the same in planes and trains and we are telling the government not to underestimate us,” said Jamal Ibrahim of the Matatu Owners Association.
They said Matatu industry had been discriminated upon because airlines are not subjected to the same rule.
He said the sector had made numerous requests to authorities with no response.
Most public service operators have been defying the rule.
The threats for a strike by Public Service Vehicles come at a time COVID-19 cases in the country have spiked, with an a record 1,000 cases recorded daily since Saturday while deaths are on a constant increase.
SOURCE: https://www.capitalfm.co.ke/news/2020/10/matatus-to-strike-from-next-week-over-continued-60pc-covid-rule-capacity/
