Public transport services were disrupted for the better part of mid-morning today (Thursday) in parts of Nakuru town after scores of PSVs kept off roads in a bid to evade an impromptu road worth vehicles by the NTSA officers.
A spot check by this writer indicated that members of the public using town service based PSV’s along Nakuru-Nyahururu and Nakuru-Nairobi Highways were stranded for several hours between 8am and 11am as most matatus kept off the roads after word went around among matatu crews warning about the abrupt inspection.
A matatu driver belonging to Bahati Matatu Sacco William Kimani said he got instructions from his employer to avoid operating until the time NTSA officers shall have left.
“I was instructed by my employer to stop working and I could not go against his directives. I am waiting for him to tell me what to do next,’’ said Kimani who denied that the vehicle he operates is unfit to operate.
Many commuters were forced to walk long distances from the interior of the Estates along the two Highways to catch up with a few PSV’s on roads while others were forced to hire tuktuk or motorcycle taxis as matatus remained parked within Estate roads and within town terminuses.
Nevertheless, an official of the National Transport and Safety Authority Judith Kairu who talked to this writer along Nairobi-Nakuru Highway said that the crack down will go on indefinitely.
She observed that many PSVs were breaking road safety regulations because the owners colluded with corrupt traffic police.
This crack down will continue. Those who have gone in hiding are telling us that there is something wrong with their vehicles. We will catch up with them,’’ said Kairu.