A matatu sacco in Nakuru has warned owners of roaming livestock to keep their animals away from the roads.
Mark Waweru the secretary of Bahati Mawanga Sacco addressed members of the public during a public forum at Bahati trading centre today. He observed that farmers who let their animals to roam freely without being attended to were primarily to blame for road accidents involving domestic animals.
He further observed that the animals’ owners always blamed matatu operators for the accidents and theft of animal carcasses after accidents, yet the law was clear about unattended to domestic animals involved in road accidents.
“As much as matatu operators always try to prevent these accidents, the blame always goes back to them. Owners of roaming animals should be informed about the law and stop promoting road accidents involving their livestock,” said Waweru.
Waweru added that many matatu crews and passengers had in the past gotten injured or lost their lives while vehicles get damaged following such accidents.
According to the matatu sacco boss, the Nakuru county government, the Ministry of Livestock Development and the National Roads Safety Authority should sensitize livestock farmers against contributing to road accidents.
Waweru noted that during most of such accidents members of the public scramble for meat from dead or injured animals while matatu crews always found it difficult to locate owners of the animals.