Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa has proposed changes to the National Transport and Safety Authority Act to have the Transport CS determine fares for public service vehicles.
If approved, the CS will be responsible for setting the minimum and maximum fares for matatus plying various routes across the country.
The National Transport and Safety Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2023 seeks to introduce a new section which provides for the development of policy guidelines to regulate the fares payable by passengers in the public service.
“The NTSA Act is amended by inserting the following new subsection where the Cabinet Secretary may in consultation with the authority make regulations prescribing the maximum and minimum fares payable by passengers in the public service vehicles within the country,” the Bill reads in part.
Barasa notes that the proposed amendment to the law will protect Kenyans from operators who have continued to bear the brunt of increased fares.
“The new section will ensure that the relevant stakeholders are involved in the process of developing such policy guidelines to ensure that there are maximum fares payable by passengers in the public vehicles from one point to another to avoid being subjected to abuse,” he said.
The Cabinet Secretary will be tasked with prescribing the mechanisms for reviewing fares charged and measures for ensuring that these prices are fair and reasonable.
The Bill has gone through pre-publication scrutiny and is set for publication before it is subjected to public participation for Kenyans to submit their views.