The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has renewed licenses of two ride hailing companies, days after back and forth with one of the operators over unmet demands.
Bolt which earlier had issues with the regulator in renewing the license got a greenlight to continue operations in the Kenyan market, joining Little which also secured the nod late Monday.
NTSA had earlier declined to renew Bolt’s operating licence in Kenya until numerous complaints from drivers, including booking fees and illegal commission charges, were ironed out.
Bolt suspended the booking fee pending clarification with NTSA around the interpretation of the regulation on this particular matter which is currently ongoing, while maintaining its commission structure at 18 per cent.
“We are happy to receive the renewal of our operating licence from the NTSA, after collaborative dialogue between key stakeholders within the industry. This accomplishment reflects our ongoing commitment to providing viable earning opportunities to drivers on our platform, and providing reliable and cost-efficient services to our customers,” Linda Ndungu, Bolt’s Country Manager, said.
“It also reaffirms our steadfast commitment to ensuring a secure platform for all users on our platform. We have consistently worked towards meeting the necessary regulatory requirements, and this renewal attests that we continue to be a trusted and compliant player in the ride-hailing sector,” she added.
The new NTSA rules to acquire license require tax compliance certificates issued by the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), certificates of incorporation, policy and procedure for how clients can activate and deactivate the app.
NTSA has also published regulations to cap commissions charged by digital taxi operators in the country on drivers at 18 per cent per trip.
“Happy to share that we have received official confirmation and approval of our license to operate in Kenya by our industry regulator, National Transport and Safety Authority,” said Little in its social media Pages.
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