Matatu Owners Association (MOA) officials in Kisii County have warned passengers against overloading Public Service Vehicles ( PSVs), saying they risk arrest and prosecution.
MOA chairman George Nyariki said the operators will not be held responsible for passengers who are arrested for flouting the traffic rules.
Lauding the government for allowing the operators to carry full capacity beginning Monday, he challenged drivers and conductors to comply with the COVID-19 protocol.
The official challenged drivers and conductors to ensure the passengers wear masks, their temperatures are tested and sanitized before they board the matatus.
“Passengers who do not wear masks and those whose temperatures exceed 37 degrees will not be allowed to board the matatus,” Nyariki told the Press in Kisii town.
He appealed to security officers to reduce roadblocks along the busy highways, saying it forced the operators to stop several times and inconvenienced passengers travelling to far-flung areas.
Nyariki cautioned the operators against carrying excess passengers, saying it will create conflicts between the operators, law enforcers and affect the matatu business.
On Friday, Transport and Infrastructure Chief Administrative Secretary, Chris Obure announced Matatus will carry 14 passengers down from 8 while mini-buses would carry 25 instead of 15.
The CAS, flanked by Matatu Owners Association chairman, Dickson Mbugua and Edwin Mukabanah, chairman, the association of bus Operators warned the operators’ savings and credit cooperative societies ( Saccos) against flouting the Covid 19 rules, saying their licences will be revoked.
He asked the operators to test the temperatures of passengers before boarding the vehicles, stressing it will ease contact tracing by medics in the event that the pandemic has been detected in any of them.
Mukabanah and Mbugua said the sector had lost Ksh30 billion after Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe introduced the 60 per cent capacity rule for the operators.
