Matatu owners and operators from Kiambu County say the new containment measures on COVID-19 are hurting their businesses.
They claim that some of the measures are punitive and likely to render them jobless and without a livelihood.
David Gichuhi a matatu owner says he is on the verge of giving up on his matatu business due to the great losses he is registering.
“We expected to recover this year from the great losses we registered last year when the Country was on lockdown, we are back to the same conditions again yet we have vehicle licenses to pay and families to feed,” He said.
He said it’s really frustrating because passengers expect them to charge the same fares they used to charge before COVID-19 interrupted business.
The matatu owners have also decried the increase on fuel prices saying they can’t sustain to fuel their vehicles at a time when business is bad.
“I have been forced to park five of my PSV vehicles at home, this has rendered my drivers and touts jobless yet it was their only source of income,” Mr. Gichuhi said
Taxi drivers have not been left out either, David Kinyua says he has had to forgo what was his side hustler since he can no longer operate at night due to the curfew.
“While it’s okay for the Government to set up preventive measures against the virus, it’s important to safe guard Kenyans against job loss,” Kinyua explained.
Kinyua says locking people up and reviewing the curfew hours does not solve the problem saying the Government should emphasize on measures like wearing masks and sanitizing.
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