Residents of Nyeri County had to trek to their various destinations today after PSV operators made true their threat to withdraw services due to the ongoing national strike over fuel costs.
All three termini in the town were deserted as PSV matatus kept off the premises in solidarity to the ongoing nationwide strike to protest the high fuel prices.
Also affected were school-going children who were forced to skip learning due to lack of means of transport.
On Sunday, Matatu Owners Association (MOA) said it would withdraw public vehicle services countrywide until the Government lowers the cost of fuel.
Currently the cost of Petrol retails at Sh214.25, Diesel at Sh242.92, while Kerosene retails at Sh152.78.
Joseph Kamwaro, a 4NTE driver, told KNA they are ready to resume operations once the State agrees to lower the cost of fuel.
He says the current cost of fuel is untenable for the sector and that unless reviewed may lead many PSV operators to pull out of the trade.
“Today we have decided to pack pf vehicles at home and join hands in pushing for the lowering of fuel prices which are choking our businesses. In fact, we have asked our children to remain at home since there were no vehicles to ferry them to school. We are suffering even as we do this but it’s better than operating at a loss,” he stated.
Joseph Njoroge, a commuter, called for a quick resolution to the fuel crisis saying today’s strike by PSV operators had greatly inconvenienced his travel plans.
He warned that a continued delay in coming up with a solution to lowering the cost of fuel in the country will only prove counterproductive to an economy which is still struggling to remain afloat amidst an impending global recession due to the Middle East war between the US and Iran.
“I had hoped to find a matatu this morning but am yet to find one. I haven’t seen a single PSV matatu which is in operation today in the entire town since this morning. Be as it may since I was born, I have never experienced the situation we are currently in as a country where the cost of fuel has been raised by almost Sh50,” he told KNA.
On his part, NYENA Sacco chairperson Peter Theuri has urged a speedy resolution to the fuel impasse to avert crippling the multibillion industry.
Theuri is also calling for a national conversation over the high cost of living and cautioned leaders against politicizing the current economic situation in the country which he says has made life almost unbearable for Kenyans.
“We need to put our political differences aside as a country and address the fuel challenge currently dogging us. It would be far nobler if we shelved all other projects currently underway and have a conversation on how we are going to bring the cost of fuel down. Today we have withdrawn our services from the road in protest but that does not mean we are gaining. Most of the PSV matatu owners are servicing loans for their vehicles and therefore any delay in sorting out this issue will only be a sure death knell to their business,” said Theuri.
Meanwhile Kieni MP, Wainaina Njoroge is now backing calls for reconvening of Parliament to help address the current crisis over rising cost of fuel.
Njoroge’s statements come days after Kiharu MP, Ndindi Nyoro wrote to the Speaker of the National Assembly, Moses Wetangula, urging him to recall lawmakers to help address ways of addressing the runway fuel prices in the county.
“Parliament should reconvene and discuss this as a matter of priority just as Nyoro advised. We acknowledge that this is a global problem whose sole instigator is the US President Donald Trump over his war on Iran but it is the common people out there who are suffering owing to the rising cost of fuel which has impacted almost every sector of life,” he told Inooro TV today.
The Kieni lawmaker has similarly called for a sober discussion over the fuel crisis by all relevant stakeholders without reading politics into the issue insisting that any solution must be a win-win for all Kenyans.
He also asked Energy CS, Opiyo Wandayi, to come forthright and explain to Kenyans the fuel situation in the country warning that continued silence on his part is one reason the PSV operators have decided to paralyze commuter transport in the country.
“Public Service Vehicle operators have every reason to protest over the rising cost of fuel in the country since it is hurting their earnings and those of their clients .However we need to hear from the Energy CS Opiyo Wandayi on what the Government is going to do to alleviate the problem of high fuel cost in the country. We need an honest and candid discussion over this matter since it impacts on every aspect of our lives,” he added.
by Samuel Maina and Thomas Mondiri
