Watching news yesterday on the President's campaign in Kangemi Westlands, where Mrs. Betty Tett an aspirant in Westlands made a plea on behalf of Matatu touts over their uniforms saying they need to have seven uniforms for everyday of the week, which is not affordable for many of them and other issue, the President revoked the order and said;
“President Kibaki took his campaigns to Westlands and Dagoretti, where he described his rivals as sweet-talkers promising Kenyans the impossible.
The President, at the same time, revoked the order imposed by former Transport minister, Mr John Michuki, requiring matatu crews to wear uniforms, saying it was costly.
He was responding to a plea by former nominated MP, Mrs Betty Tett, also an assistant minister for Housing, who said the matatu operators lamented that they had been forced to wear uniforms yet they were neither mechanics nor school children.
"Hiyo mambo ya kuvaa nguo nyingi hapana!" (That idea of uniforms must be stopped) he said amid applause from wananchi”. quote from EA Standard, read more
Many were very happy with former Transport minister Mr. Michuki for bringing law and order in this transport industry that was full of rowdy touts, but the uniform part was not a good idea for the touts and drivers. So many of them will be happy to go back to their old style of wearing whatever they like and also go back to break traffic rules because police are already talking it slow on them this campaign season, the blurring music and overlapping on roads is back.
The good side of this uniform issue is I can now get another dark purple trouser suit, that looked somehow similar to the touts maroon uniforms (some wore purple) or a maroon one, after giving out the one I had when touts started wearing maroon uniforms. A colleague also stopped wearing hers because our driver kept teasing us calling us touts when we wore the suits.
3 comments:
remember the chaos in transport industry was started by kenyatta who allowed the 'matatus' to operate legally for the first time. then moi just looked the other side when toutes were murdering Kenyans daily in a chaotic transport industry. kibaki helped us for just two years before discovering that winning political office was more important than the lives of kenyan paupers who use matatu every day. to get more votes the president has even told police to look the other side!
Yeah Sue I can also now wear maroon comfortably. Talking of going back to their old ways, you will notice school leavers hanging on mats as touts like it used to be before Michuki laws.
Odegle I agree matatu industry may have been a bad idea from the beginning but by saying "murdering Kenyans daily" is a harsh word to describe the chaotic transport industry.
Remember those old Kenya buses (light yellow with green lines) used to cause many grisly accidents in Nairobi and many lost thier lives. When I remember them today I wonder whether its was the divers who were not qualified drivers, carelessness or the over stuffing of passengers.
Rozie yes we will have those young boys hanging on matatus again, now that schools will close, some will have done exams and looking for something to do.
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