Federation of Public Transport Sector Chief Executive Officer, Kushian Muchiri, has vowed that matutus will down tools again if their demand will not have been met by Tuesday next week.
Speaking during an interview with Citizen TV, Muchiri, who is also the national chairman of the Association of Matatu Owners, affirmed that matatus will stay off roads if demands are not met.
“When the government reached out to us and gave us an offer, as a leader, you do not do things just to be seen as harsh and strong. It is not about emotions. Sometimes you have to use wisdom,” he stated.
On increasing fares, Muchiri said it was necessary for the business to be sustained.
“You cannot sustain a business if you keep injecting more money into it, yet it is not giving much in return,” he stated.
“It was either the vehicle park or we hike the fares.”
He added that even after hiking fares, it became difficult for them as more travellers opted to stay at home while others chose to walk.
“It means that we were still making nothing,” he added.
Transport operators have been accusing the government of failing to address the increasing cost of fuel and other levies that have significantly affected profitability in the sector.
They are demanding the reduction of fuel prices, removal of some taxes and urgent intervention from Parliament to cushion both operators and ordinary citizens from the soaring cost of living.
They argue that frequent fuel price hikes are crippling businesses and contributing to inflation, making basic goods and services more expensive for millions of Kenyans.
Meanwhile, Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has revealed the government expects to reach an agreement with public transport operators by Saturday, May 23.
Speaking in an interview on Hot96, Sakaja said he expects the government will have a new agreement, expressing confidence that talks are going well.
Public transport operators, including the Matatu Owners Association, long-distance bus companies, digital cabs, ride-hailing drivers and truckers, downed tools on Monday and Tuesday to protest high fuel prices.
Following talks led by Energy and Petroleum Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi and his Transport counterpart Davis Chirchir ended in a stalemate after the government agreed to lower diesel by Sh10.06 per litre.
The Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA), while gazetting the new prices, said Super Petrol prices would remain completely unchanged to sell at Sh214.25 per litre in Nairobi.
The changes made during the emergency mid-cycle review brought diesel prices to Sh232.86 from Sh242.92 per litre in Nairobi.
