Matatu Fares Increase by 20% Over Rise in Fuel Prices
Public transport stakeholders will hike bus fares by 10 to 20% effective today following the latest increment in fuel prices.
Speaking to the press, Edwin Mukabanah the chairman of The Federation of Public Transport Sector advised its members to increase their bus fares by 20%.
He further said that the industry has no choice to increase the fare and requested Kenyans to accept the new prices.
“we have requested and advised all our members countrywide to adjust their fares by 20%. This is not something that we want, it is something that we hope the common Mwananchi will bare with us because we know it hurts but we have no choice,” said Mukabanah.
Mr Mukabanah said that the matatu industry has been suffering ever since the Covid-19 pandemic since people are working from home.
“The way forward is because of the increase in fuel prices across the whole country and noting that Matatu Industry and PSV industry in general has been suffering due to containment measures where people are working home, we know that the curfew is still on and a lot of passengers are not travelling this is causing a lot of depression on our businesses just like every sector will be affected by the fuel pricing,” He added.
Dickson Mbugwa, secretary of The Federation of Public Transport Sector said that the transport the Matatu sector is forced to increase prices so as to help in maintaining the operations of the vehicles.Loading…
“This is in line with what all other sectors of the economy will be forces to do, to compensate for the increased cost of operations. The increased cost has been necessitated by recurring fuel prices increases that has now apexed in the latest unprecedented increase,” he said.
He said that the Matatu operators are allowed to increase fare by 10% to 20% depending on the type of operation and the route the vehicles use.
“Since our passengers have equally been affected, PSV operators are thus justified to increase fares by a moderate 10 and 20% depending on the route type, type of operation, passenger demand and supply patters, etc,” said Mbugwa.
The Federation said that the increase in fare will stop most matatu’s from being parked at home while others are working
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