Nairobi Members of County Assembly have issued a stern warning to all Matatu Saccos currently using petrol stations within the Central Business District as passenger pick-up and drop-off points, directing them to vacate immediately over safety concerns.
Speaking during a press briefing at City Hall, the transport committee MCAs led by gatina ward rep Kennedy Swaka,they have criticized a recent High Court ruling that allowed some Saccos temporary relief to continue operating from fuel stations, saying the decision poses a major public safety threat.
“This amater of life and death,we can’t allow such illegality to continue happening untill we kill our people so that action is taken,we want an immediate action before worse happens,”Mca Swaka stated.
They argued that the growing trend of matatus operating inside or around petrol stations exposes passengers and motorists to unnecessary risk, especially in the event of fuel-related accidents, fires, or congestion-related emergencies.
His counterpart Korogocho Ward rep Absalom Odhiambo Matach supporting the move ,have now given Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja a seven-day ultimatum to enforce the county’s transport and safety regulations and completely eliminate matatu stages operating within petrol stations across the CBD.
According to the MCAs, the county government must act swiftly to restore order within the city’s public transport sector and uphold safety standards. They further insisted that the ultimatum is a necessary step to prevent what they describe as “a looming disaster” if vehicles continue operating in highly combustible environments.
The county assembly has vowed to push for oversight action should the Executive fail to comply within the given timeframe. Meanwhile, several Matatu Saccos have insisted they will await further legal direction, citing the court ruling that allowed them temporary operations.
As enforcement looms, all eyes are on City Hall to see whether Governor Sakaja’s administration will move decisively to address the mounting safety concerns surrounding matatu activities in fuel stations within Nairobi’s busiest areas.
