Nakuru Town matatu Chairman Stephen Muli wants the Chief Officer for PSM Paul Githinji to keep off Nakuru matatu matters.
Speaking at a press briefing at the new Railways matatu stage, Muli said Githinji has been collecting money from unsuspecting matatu Saccos with the promise that he would allocate them space to operate from. Muli says it is wrong for the matatu owners to be charged and should have gotten the spaces for free
“It was the county that moved us from where we used to operate with the promise that we would be reallocated. We should therefore not be charged to get space in the new stage but should get it for free,” said Mr. Muli.
Muli who also doubles as the Prestige Shuttles chairman said that the new matatu stage is very small and would not be able to accommodate all the matatus in Nakuru.
“The new stage is very small and we can not fit all the matatu saccos and their different routes. The county should not attempt to allocate fewer slots to any Sacco and this will be tantamount to killing the saccos and their businesses,” he added.
Mr. Muli who was accompanied by other matatu stakeholders called on the Nakuru County Government to hasten the process of allocating space at the new stage. Failure to this, he says, they will take it upon themselves to share the available space and if it’s not enough they will go back to n where they used to operate from before COVID-19.
Chairman Stephen Muli has been vocal speaking for the Nakuru matatu sector since they were moved out of the places they used to operate from. For championing the rights of the matatu sector, Muli has been branded a political broker who is being used by some politicians. Something he vehemently denies.
“I’ve been called a political broker for championing the rights of those in the matatu industry. I have been accused of working with opposing politicians. These are all lies. All am concerned about is the welfare of this sector and the future of our investments,” says Muli.
Another Nakuru resident at the presser, Njoroge Njugi, says the new stage was built without public participation from the stakeholders.
“As matatu operators at traders, we were never involved in dialogue with the Governor or any other official from the county. What we are seeing now are cartels from the office of the Governor demanding for cash to be allocated space,” claims Mr. Njoroge.
Also at the presser was London Ward MCA Anthony Nzuki Wachira who said 50% of the slots available at the new stage must go to London Ward residents.