The Matatu Owners Association has urged the government to turn the Northern corridor into a dual carriageway to reduce road accidents.
The association’s president Albert Karakacha said road accidents along the corridor were high in December as compared to other roads in the country.
“Due to the two-way roads in our country, accidents have generally reduced. We urge the government to make Northern corridor dual carriage from Mombasa to Malaba since accidents have increased,” Karakacha said.
Karakacha spoke during the Matatu Owners Association National Governing Council’s meeting in Nairobi on Friday.
He said MOA has a presence in 44 counties.
“During the Christmas season alone, we lost more than 100 people on that road. Dual it so that we don’t lose such lives again,” he said.
A locally manufactured vehicle by GB Auto, the King Long King Wing van was also launched during the event presided by Cabinet Affairs PS Idris Dokota.
Karakacha said KCB had given them a Sh5 billion loan for buying new vehicles and another Sh3 billion for insurance cover making it a total of Sh8 billion to boost the matatu business.
“We will work with the government going forward. KCB has given us Sh5 billion to buy vehicles,” he said.
He said as an association, they will make sure that all members benefit from the loans through their respective saccos.
“We will come to each sacco through KCB and MOA to make sure we sign the asset financing agreement,” Karakacha said.
Karakacha urged KCB to also look into road safety and friendly terms for the loan repayments.
He emphasized the need for continuous training of matatu drivers urging saccos to take charge of the business.
“If for instance tires are worn out, we don’t want to hear vehicle owners are disturbed by traffic police. Leadership should take charge of the matatu sector, not individuals,” Karakacha said.
Dokota said the matatu industry plays a great role in terms of contribution to the country’s GDP as the industry has employed over one million people and serves over 70 per cent of the Kenyan population.
“We are here as a government to support this industry. As the president campaigned on a platform of hustler narrative, that person who belongs to the bottom of the pyramid is in the matatu industry,” Dokota said.
Dokota said the government will work with the Matatu Owners Association to ensure reforms in the sector.
“We are ready to provide that support and ensure that they achieve required objectives,” the PS said.