Monday morning, Nairobi was a tower of Babel as commuters, the transport industry and the traffic marshals were at loss on how to implement the regulations banning matatus from entering CBD.
The Ngara and Railways terminals were worst hit; hundreds of Nairobians had to squeeze through the sea of humanity seeking to use the designated bridges in rush to meet the office reporting hours.
This is Very Interesting and Sad! This is worse than the Normal Jam. #MatatuCBDBan pic.twitter.com/aGzWyoGSsy
— BRAVIN™ (@ItsBravin) December 3, 2018
Traffic jams escalated, and a 20-minute journey on a normal day morphed into 3-hour snail treks.
#MatatuCBDBan
Nairobians from ngara to Nairobi CBD ,this is the most painful photo of the day!! Sonko cc pic.twitter.com/VIRVOC6SqL— ©a®o (@carondungi) December 3, 2018
Nairobi’s governor Mike Sonko apologised to commuters after a collective sharp criticism following remarks alluding that the painful experiences would help Nairobians keep healthy and maintain fitness.
On the other hand, Johnson Sakaja, the Capital’s Senator, rushed to the courts to seek redress on behalf of the Matatus and the commuters, as the move had been rolled out without public participation and there were no alternatives.
As I said yesterday and before. The move by @MikeSonko to ban matatus from the CBD is premature, and unfair to ordinary citizens. You don’t ban matatus before providing alternatives for commuters. MUST BE RESCINDED immediately and proper planning done. #MatatuCBDBan pic.twitter.com/4SXa8PpTUO
— Sakaja Johnson (@SakajaJohnson) December 3, 2018
Matatu Saccos also moved to courts and sued the Nairobi County government for barring PSVs from the CBD. The court declined and directed them to serve the county government, NTSA and the police with suit papers for hearing on 6 December 2018.
Kenyans remained divided over the move.
