Commuters within the Nakuru Central Business District have been advised to make use of matatu Sacco offices to help prevent cases of children and luggage getting lost.
In a joint press conference over the weekend, different Sacco heads expressed concern over the emergence of middlemen who swindle and confuse unsuspecting commuters.
“It has come to our attention that some people are masquerading as Sacco staff to confuse and even steal from commuters,” Maina Kieni, the chairperson of Precious Sacco said.
This comes upon after complaints by some students who say they lost their bags and other valuables at the main bus stop after being promised transportation to Nairobi by a private van.
“It was unfortunate because we have reliable forms of transport with offices placed at strategic points within town, such cases do happen because the stage is full of middlemen who want reap from both Sacco’s and private car owners,” Kieni explained.
“My advice to such commuters is, if you decide to use public means from the word go, stick to it till the end, don’t be confused in between especially when you are on a long journey that involves changing vehicles,” he added.
Mau Narok Sacco chairman Paul King'ori accused his counterparts of complacency, saying that some Sacco staff members are responsible for the confusion that commuters find themselves in once they reach the matatu stage.
“During meetings, we insist on uniforms and identity cards, some Sacco staff don’t want to comply with this leading to such confusions,” he complained.
The leaders resolved to work with the traffic department to help see conmen and other fraudsters out of Nakuru town but insisted on the importance of making use of Sacco offices.
“Going to an office erases any doubts because any complain or inconvenience is addressed by the officer in charge directly,” advised Moses Mbugua, a shareholder in the Naloki Sacco Ltd.
Sacco’s represented in the meeting include Njoro operators Sacco, Rift-Link Sacco, Shabab Sacco, Prestige Sacco, Northway Sacco, 2NK Sacco among others.
They vowed to work together in restoring sanity in the transport sector within Nakuru and its environs.