SWL, the bus hailing app firm is said to be considering leaving the Kenyan market.
In the morning, Kenyans were debating a tweet by a local blogger which claimed that the firm owes its drivers (Captains) upwards of Ksh100,000 in salaries.
In September 2019, the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) suspended the operating licenses of SWVl and Little stating that the bus firms were operating illegally in Kenya.
The authority indicated the shuttle buses run by the two firms were operating commuter services using Tours Service License (TSL), which it said, violated the provisions of the PSV Regulations.
“The vehicles under these hailing app companies have acquired Tours Service License (TSL) but are engaging in commuter service within Nairobi therefore contravening the terms of the Tour Service License (TSL),” read the statement.
In November, the bus firm, SWVL stopped operations citing pressure from NTSA.
The app service notified users that it was experiencing disruptions on its routes and was working on compliance with the rules laid out by the NTSA by the end of the November.
Now, also according to information received by the Editor of this site through our email [email protected] , a captain of the Egypt-based matatu service says they have not been paid for months.
“I think SWVL is struggling. We like the service because it will revolutionize Kenya and as such we have kept quite about the non-payment of our salaries. SWVL owes me Ksh100,000″, the email stated
However, SWVL responded, through their country manager, Shivachi Muleji, by stating the following:
SWVL Kenya issues the following statement to notify our esteemed business partners, bus owners, Captains and members of the general public about the ongoing social media thread about us allegedly exiting the country.
Firstly, we are committed to this market and are not considering leaving. Kenya is a market with great potential and room for us to create a solution that benefits the everyday commuter. We are therefore not leaving and will continue to innovate to provide our Kenyan users with an efficient, comfortable and reliable solution to their transportation needs. We consider Kenya as favorable market for carrying out our business and we remain committed to partnering with bus owners and Captains to help realize the industry’s full potential.
Our Captains and bus owners are the focal point of our business. We, therefore, maintain a cordial and healthy relationship with them and are committed to their general welfare and continuity of services offered to members of the public. We value our relationship with them and as such, we continue to work closely to ensure their needs are met.
At SWVL, we continue to provide commuters with a safe, convenient and efficient mass transport option and desires to advise our esteemed customers to remain calm and expect even better services as we roll into 2020.
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