KENYA: New public service minibus vehicles held by police because owners have failed to fit seatbelts demanded as part of safety regulations

Record ID: 851624

  • Title: KENYA: New public service minibus vehicles held by police because owners have failed to fit seatbelts demanded as part of safety regulations
  • Date: 3rd February 2004
  • Summary: (W5) NAIROBI, KENYA (FEBRUARY 03, 2004) (REUTERS) WIDE OF PEOPLE AWAITING TRAIN VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WATCHING PACKED TRAIN ARRIVING VARIOUS OF PEOPLE ATTEMPTING TO CLAMBER ON PACKED TRAIN SLV PEOPLE CLIMBING IN THROUGH WINDOWS/ DOORS SLV PEOPLE CLINGING ON TO SIDE OF TRAIN VARIOUS, PEOPLE HANGING ON TO HEAVILY LADEN TRAIN VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WALKING TO WORK IN THE MORNING
  • Embargoed: 18th February 2004 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: NAIROBI, KENYA
  • City:
  • Country: Kenya
  • Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement,Transport
  • Reuters ID: LVA7QNKPQO5NUIC0QKCYE4BUJZCZ
  • Aspect Ratio:
  • Story Text: Thousands of Kenyans had to trek to work after vehicles which had not complied with new security measures were grounded by owners Police held the minibuses after the owners failed to fit seatbelts and speed-limit devices demanded by the government to curb road accidents.
    President Mwai Kibaki's government says it is determined to bring order to the chaos in public transport mostly blamed on the privately-owned minivans known as matatus, and bring an end to road accidents which claim about nine lives a day.
    Hundreds of commuters jammed the few trains on Tuesday (February 3) running upcountry and on the few inter-city routes in the capital causing an amazing spectacle as they scrambled to get into the train through windows. Other scrambled to sit on the top while other were dangling from the sides.
    But even this was not enough and people were asking for the government to increase the trains frequency.
    Thousands of Kenyans who survive on less than a dollar a day depend on the minibuses to get to their places of work and they had to trek to work as police cracked down on more than 30,000 matatus which refused to adhere to the new rule.
    The Transport Minister John Michuki visited the Police inspection unit where the vehicles we being inspected after being fitted with speed governors and seat belts and inspected some of them.
    "So these seat belts are very important and it has been known all over the world that these thing saves lives."
    said Michuki as he tried to explain to the operators of the vehicles.
    The bright coloured minibuses, emblazoned with slogans and American rap stars' names and with blaring music pumping from speakers, are seen by many commuters as a menace on the roads, causing chaos in their cut-throat competition for passengers.
    Some commuters however said the minister ought to have provided alternative transport or given more time for the safety gadgets to be fitted. Others were happy that the government had finally put its foot down and was not relenting.
    "It will be more safety, there will be accidents and we will be comfortable in the matatus," said one lady as she waited to board one of the few 'legal' matatus (minibuses) on the road.
    Even some of the drivers of the vehicles that had complied with the requirements were quite happy.
    "The vehicle does not get overloaded, you are only carrying 3 people per row in the vehicles and they are comfortable and the owners are not counting how many trips you make." said this driver with his seatbelt on.
    The transport Minister on Monday asked commuters to report matatus which were charging higher fares to the police.
    A government department which has been issuing certificates to those that have fitted the new gadgets said that only 10,000 out of 40,000 minivans had done so by Saturday.
    The minivan owners staged a two-day strike last November to protest against the new rules but resumed operations after Kibaki urged them to comply to the new rules.
    But some said they would not comply, accusing the government of failing to pursue dialogue on the issue.

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