Matatu Owners association yesterday threatened to go to court if transport Minister Amos Kimunya fails to intervene and ensure that Probox vehicles comply with the road safety measure.
Speaking in Meru town during a members meeting, the National Matatu Owners Association deputy chairman Stephen Murunga said the minister should intervene urgently and ensure the probox vehicles comply with the traffic rules and road safety measures.
Murunga said the law should be uniform to all without exploiting the Matatu operators who only are allowed to carry 14 passengers while the probox carry more than ten passengers other than five.
“We wonder if there is the law in this country. The probox violate the traffic rules while the police who are supposed to enforce the law are doing nothing,” said Murunga.
Addressing the Members at Nevada Hotel the deputy chairman said the vehicles are registered as private vehicles but have been allowed by the government to exploit the matatu industry by doing the business illegally.
“If the government is not ready to solve this conflicting issue then we will move to court to seek justice as matatu owners,” he added.
He claimed that despite the fact the vehicles have violated the road safety rules are also enjoying a free business in the matatu industry without paying for TLB and public services vehicles (PSV) fees.
“In fact if a Matatu is found carrying an excess of one passenger your charged ksh.10.000 for the offence but the probox carry excess of more than five and nobody is there to charge them. This is not fair and we are asking the Minister to intervene before the matatu industry is killed completely,” noted Murunga.
They also claimed that they want the traffic law to be uniform and be applied to probox and matatu operators equally without discriminating the other.
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