Matatu Owners Association threaten strike against ‘exploitation’

By Peter Ochieng

Matatu Owners Association (MOA) leadership has threatened to stage a nationwide strike, to protest what they term as exploitation by insurance firms and auctioneers.

MOA leaders say they may hold a strike on Tuesday, August 20, 2204, if things do not change by then.

As a result of costs of operations having gone up, it has become difficult to service their loans, resulting in banks auctioning their vehicles due to defaults.

Additionally, they say insurance companies closing down have resulted in losses to their members who have to buy new policies for their vehicles.

“You find you have taken an insurance policy only to find it is not valid because the company providing it has closed down at night without issuing a notice,” the leaders, led by Paul Thiong’o and Ruth Njogu said on Sunday.

They said in what appears to be collusion of insurance companies and auctioneers, whenever matatu owners fail to pay their premiums, auctioneers are quick to auction their vehicles.

“We will not accept that. If your claim was Sh3 million, you are given Sh250,000 because it makes people want to be auctioned.”

“The new Minister of Transport must take this issue seriously and resolve this matter,” they insisted. The Cabinet Secretary in charge of transport is Davis Chirchir having replaced Kipchumba Murkomen who is now the CS for Sports.

“If the government does not hear our grievances, we have united all over the country to desist from engaging in transport activities. We want a framework that will see the creation of insurance policies that will safeguard policyholders in the event the insurance company closes or goes bankrupt,” they added.

“On Tuesday, there will be no public service vehicles on the road. If things are not going to be resolved, we are going to down our tools.”

Kenyans depend on public transport to effect their daily activities.