Taxi group vows to hold Uber street demos after snub

A taxi lobby group, United Kenya Taxi Association (UTCA), has vowed to go on with the planned street demonstration after they were left out in a meeting held yesterday between the government and registered taxi operators.

The main agenda of the meeting held Monday at the Office of the President was to resolve the stalemate that arose after drivers operating conventional taxis and those using Uber, an online taxi hailing app, clashed over market share.

The regular taxi drivers argued that those using Uber were taking away their business and resorted to attacking Uber cabs in a bid to drive them out of business.

Present at the meeting chaired by Karanja Kibicho, the Principal Secretary for Interior Security and Government Coordination, were officials from Uber Kenya, Kenya Private Sector Alliance (Kepsa), Nairobi County government, Kenya Investment Authority (KIA) CEO Moses Ikiara, inspector general of police Joseph Boinet, director general of National Transport Safety Authority (NTSA) Francis Meja and representatives from “registered” taxi associations.

During the meeting the PS also formed a stakeholders’ committee, under the chairmanship of the director general of the Competition Authority of Kenya Wang’ombe Kariuki, to compile a report on matters raised in two weeks’ time.

The report will help in drafting of regulations to govern online taxi operations. Mr Kibicho also called on taxi operators to stay calm as the government sought for solutions to end the stalemate.

“Let me make it very clear that any person engaged in acts of lawlessness will be dealt with sternly in accordance with the law. We have an established mechanism of resolving disputes, and lawlessness is not one of them,” he said.

READ: Uber, regular taxis rivalry turns ugly as drivers fight

IG Boinet also said that he had given instructions to the police to ensure that all those who breach the law are dealt with. He also said anyone inciting or threatening to engage in acts lawlessness ostensibly because of business disputes will be dealt with.

Ashford Mwangi, spokesman of the United Kenya Taxi Association, said none of his members was called to the meeting despite being the group that demanded for talks with the government and Uber.

He insisted that members will hold demonstrations.

On Wednesday last week, the association issued the government a seven-day ultimatum to end the standoff between its members and drivers using Uber.

The association asked the government to create a platform for both groups to lodge complaints and resolve their differences. They vowed to hold demonstrations if their issues went unresolved after the end of the seven-day ultimatum.

“We are a registered association and UKTA complies fully with the law,’’ said Mr Mwangi.