TRANSPORT SECTOR AND COVID-19
A 14 seater matatu sped along Lang’ata highway with a young man hanging on the door. His shirt formed a perfect hem more or less like batman's cape. He called out to customers. The matatu is labelled no 15. this is the route that it commutes on ferrying passengers from various areas in Lang’ata to the Central Business District. On a normal day, the matatu would be packed to the brim with a total of 13 passengers. In one trip to the CBD, he would have made 650 shillings. In one day, the matatu makes 10 trips to and from town amounting to 6500–7000 Kenyan shillings daily.
As a country, we are known for our robust matatu culture. Matatus in Nairobi ferry people to different destinations. The task starts before dawn and goes into the night. Matatus are not only a means of transport but also a source of income and livelihood to many. When the pandemic hit, the matatu business was very much affected. For the public service vehicles to operate they had to follow like every other business was to follow the Ministry Of Health guidelines to the latter. Social distancing, sanitizers and masks were to be upheld. Matatu operators started ferrying less number than the usual. The close-knit transportation system that is usually experienced had to be suspended. All matatus now have to provide hand-sanitisers for all passengers before entering. Vehicles need to be cleaned twice a day and long-distance operators are asked to keep a detailed list of all their passengers. In order to prevent contamination, Kenyan officials have said that 14-seater matatus will carry only eight passengers, and vehicles that carry more than 30 passengers will carry not more than 60 per cent of their capacity.
Passengers with no masks are not allowed into public service vehicles. The curfew from dawn to dusk(7.00 a.m-5.00 p.m)that had been enacted by the president was the last nail on the coffin. Matatu operators had to leave work early which translates to losing money. Long-distance buses have also been impacted during this period. According to Easy Coach managing director, Azym Dossabuses from upcountry destinations have to return to Nairobi even if the capacity is at 20 per cent ridership in order to fulfil the next day’s bookings. This has brought about major losses in this sector.
With the extension of the lockdown for 30 more days, many informal sectors including the public transport sector will continue to suffer the same predicament, but in the words of the Cabinet Secretary if we behave normally disease will treat us abnormally.