The city matatu strike that was scheduled for today has been called off.
The chairman of the matatu welfare, Dickson Mbugua confirmed the information saying that they had struck a good deal following a fruitful discussion with the transport cabinet secretary.
Transport CS, James Macharia had on late Wednesday afternoon filed an appeal that eventually led to the cancellation of the planned strike that could have evidently paralysed transport in most parts of the city.
Mbugua also confirmed that they have scheduled for a meeting with Macharia, his fellow interior security counterpart, Joseph Nkaissery and the county government this coming Friday in a move to resolve the licensing issues.
“Kenyans should not worry. We are scheduled to go to work as usual because we subscribe to dialogue. We shall patiently wait to see on the fate of the Friday deliberations,” he said.
He further noted that matatu practitioners will hold a consultative meeting today to chart on their welfare issues.
On Wednesday, Nairobi police fired teargas canisters to disperse rowdy crowds of matatu operators who had blocked roads in downtown ahead of the dreaded Thursday strike. Trouble began after City Hall askaris begun impounding matatus that had been parked along Ronald Ngala Street and the adjacent streets when touts and drivers started to protest and this prompted police to lobby teargas at the operators engaged them in the hide and seek game.
During the incident, a number of drivers and their conductors were arrested and taken to custody as police struggled to contain the situation from getting out of hand.