Kenyan transport industry is run by cartels and thugs who ‘conveniently’ reformed from militia and gang groups to form Saccos. This industry is infamous for breaking laws, playing loud music with pornographic videos, hiking fares at will and mistreating their customers.
They have traffic cops in their pockets who simply collude with senior civil servants and police bosses who own matatus and buses plying various routes within the city and upcountry.
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Added to the fact that this industry is viewed by politicians as ‘a voting bloc’, they break existing laws and ‘operate’ with unwritten constitution at will. Whether Kenyans are celebrating or mourning, they find it necessary to pocket more, transport players, saccos, matatu owners and exited middle class guys with cars in Kenya like reaping when the nation and its people are facing tragedies.
COVID-19 pandemic is ravaging the entire world, normalcy is disrupted, many nations are in complete lock downs, infections and deaths are soaring but these suspicious characters can only reap at these sad moments.
Kenya has reported 16 positive cases, business and schools are closed and thea complete lockdown is eminent.
Transport industry has recorded a surge in numbers of city dwellers travelling upcountry since the break out and many transport players are ‘helping’ these scared Kenyans by hiking prices. The same thing they do during the festive season and when it’s raining or shining.
‘University of the streets’ is producing many bad fellows but not heartless and inconsiderate like players in the transport industry.
Government for political reasons cannot enforce strict measures on businesses hiking fares because ‘votes’ may be lost. This is a political minded country that puts politics before every decision. Loud politicians are completely shut, COVID -19 scare has put BBI noise under ‘quarantine’.
Health CS Mutahi Kagwe while announcing the 16th positive coronavirus case did not order but pleaded with the players in the transport and hotel industries not to hike their prices.
BOMA Hotel owned by the Kenya Redcross but was built by contributions from good Kenyans is now charging Kshs. 10,000 a night for kenyans to quarantine. This is completely immoral in times of disaster. This is not the time for a loss making hotel is under recievership due huge debts they owe National Bank of Kenya.
Government is expected to bargain with hotels to quarantine patients and to be strict on transport players to save poor Kenyans from hiked prices. Suddenly sanitizers, a thing that just gained popularity with the pandemic is out of stocks.
Unscrupulous businessmen are simply hoarding to hike prices because the sales will only last with the pandemic. It’s the only time to reap and reap big.
A complete ban on movement from major towns to upcountry should even be ordered to prevent the virus from spreading there and starve these rogues at the same time but that may meet harsh political retaliations in future.
Such a ban can’t be imposed this ‘bloc’ for fear of losing ‘votes’ and that fear breeds crime.
Lawlessness and bribery go hand in hand in this industry including private car owners. Small cars like probox carry up to ten strangers, suffocating and posing as family members and paying more than double the fare at the same time.
