100 matatus impounded in war on illegal city stages

City Hall has impounded more than 100 public service vehicles (PSVs) in a crackdown on rogue matatu operators using illegal drop-off and pick-up points in the city.

The matatus belong to saccos such as Unified Poa, ROG, Lucky BD Travellers, Nazigi Sacco, and Eastleigh Circular Classic.

Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) chief enforcement officer Dr Mark Leleruk said the county’s enforcement officers have clear instructions to deal with the matatu operators following complaints of a surge in undesignated matatu pick-up and drop-off points, which has now spilled over to the estates.

In Nairobi’s city centre, Tom Mboya Street all the way from Afya Centre to Khoja stage, parts of Mama Ngina Street, Moi Avenue and Ronald Ngala are now under control of the rogue matatu operators.

The illegal stages have also begun cropping up in estates with roundabouts in Kariobangi and John Osogo Road in Dandora the worst affected.

“We are on a mission to clean the city centre and there is nothing that will stop us. The operation began three weeks ago and it will continue until we restore sanity in this city,” said Mr Leleruk.

The chief enforcement officer said the crackdown is part of a wider operation targeting not only the matatu operators but also hawkers, street children and parking boys operating in the city centre.

He revealed that since the exercise began, they have been able to impound more than 1,000 motorbikes which have been taken to the Central Police Station.

Mr Leleruk said the motorbikes were also being used by hawkers to transport them and their wares into the city centre. They are also used to perpetrate criminal activities like muggings.

“We have involved the police in the process and we intend to speed up the process until we clear all the pavements and non-motorised transport corridors,” he said.

Concerning the hawkers, Mr Leleruk said they have managed to drive out hawkers who used to flood main streets in the city centre early in the day and restricted them to the evening.

“Parking boys are still playing hide and seek with us but we have also managed to reduce their numbers. We are trying to rid the streets of them but the hard economic times we currently face keep driving them back,” he said.

Mr Leleruk added that they have also succeeded in rounding up some street children and taking them to the four rehabilitation centres owned by the county government.

“We have given our officers clear instructions to deal with the four groups as we strive to clean Nairobi, especially the city centre,” he said.