Nairobi: Transport stakeholders in Murang’a County have called for greater cooperation among players in the sector to improve coordination, enhance road safety, and reduce accidents. The stakeholders, drawn from the matatu, taxi, boda boda, and lorry sectors, launched the Murang’a Transport Stakeholders Forum, which seeks to bring together key players to address challenges affecting the industry.
According to Kenya News Agency, the forum Chairman, Martin Kangangi, emphasized that closer collaboration between transport operators, government agencies, and road authorities would help create a safer and more efficient transport sector. Kangangi, who is also Chairman of Murang’a Shuttle Sacco, urged government agencies to support the growth of the matatu industry instead of adopting punitive measures against operators. He particularly called on the Insurance Regulatory Authority (IRA) to intervene over delays by insurance companies in compensating matatu owners whose vehicles are involved in accidents.
‘Our members have suffered because insurance companies delay compensation when vehicles are involved in accidents, sometimes leading to auctioning of the vehicles. We want the regulator to intervene and ensure claims are settled promptly,’ Kangangi stated. He also challenged Matatu Sacco’s management to ensure their vehicles are roadworthy and drivers adhere to traffic regulations. Speeding and reckless driving were identified as major contributors to road accidents, and Kangangi urged Sacco officials to promptly report drivers who endanger passengers and other road users.
The forum Coordinator, Antony Mwangi, called for regulation of vehicle breakdown and towing services, highlighting that some operators charge motorists exorbitant fees due to lack of effective oversight. He also urged authorities to crack down on the use of private vehicles as public service vehicles, saying the practice undermines regulation and passenger safety.
Lorry operator George Kimani requested that agencies operating mobile weighbridges position them at safe sections of roads to mitigate additional risks for motorists. He also appealed to the Murang’a County Government to improve roads leading to quarries, which are heavily used by trucks transporting construction materials.
Murang’a East Sub-county Police Commander, Teresa Kariuki, representing the County Commander, noted that cooperation between police and transport stakeholders had contributed to a decline in road accidents in the County. She urged boda boda operators to strictly observe traffic rules, noting that some riders operate without valid driving licenses. ‘Boda boda riders have contributed significantly to road accidents. This must come to an end. They need proper training and should always observe traffic rules,’ she said.
James Mwangi, a boda boda Operators’ Chairman in Murang’a town, expressed readiness among riders to undergo training and called on the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) to facilitate them in acquiring driving licenses. Meanwhile, Namukika Matatu Sacco Chairperson, Cecilia Mwangi, called on the county government to streamline stage fees and allocation of parking bays at matatu stages, claiming Murang’a charges higher fees compared with neighboring counties.
The stakeholders emphasized that sustained engagement between transport operators, security agencies, regulators, and county authorities would be critical in addressing challenges in the sector and improving safety for all road users.
