The Struggling Stage of Matatu Stages in Nakuru County Amid the Corona-Virus

The matatu industry in Nakuru has faced problem after problem in the past. From internal fights for stages to fighting hawkers and the government to stay in town, it would seem they are always fighting for something.

The county government has time and again made efforts to remove matatu stages from the central business district to the outskirts of the town. The matatu Saccos got together time and again to secure their foundation in the stages located in town. However, the Covid-19 pandemic has provided the perfect opportunity to carry out the changes.

Matatu stages located at Mashambani, Pundit Nehru road, Mburu Gichua road, and near the Top Market were all moved to Kwa Jack, opposite Kingdom Seekers and near the Showground. While the old stages were equipped with cabro flooring, Sacco stages, food outlets, and toilets, the new stages are lacking most of these amenities. 

The stages and access to them are in terrible shape and are even worse when it rains. Commuters have to trek across town to the various stages, a tedious process compared to the short walk they had to take when the stage was midtown.

James Kamau is a driver with a Sacco that was relocated to Kwa Jack. “It is a mess. There are no allocated stages as before, there is mud everywhere and rush hour is a total nightmare. We just want to go back to the order we were used to.”

The move to remove the matatus out was supposed to curb the spread of the virus but the chaos surrounding the stages due to lack of strategy is nothing but a health hazard.

The county assembly held discussions on ways to improve the new stages, a move that makes it seem they will last a while.

Kevin*, a stage manager says management is difficult in the new stages and hopes things get back to normal so that they can go back to their designated stages and the order that they had worked hard to establish.

Commuters have expressed a lack of confidence in the stages and their control of the disease. Janet Chepkosgei travels to town for work every day. “The stages are so disorganized. With people moving everywhere, it is hard to avoid bumping into people and cars. Basically, we cannot avoid contamination if that was the aim. The chaos peaks during rush-hour so are primetime for contamination. The touts do not even bother to offer sanitation services upon entry of the matatu.”

Social distancing is mandatory but since people got ‘bored’ with constant sanitation, it is becoming more difficult to manage the situation. The cases are still on the increase and with the lag in personal and public sanitation, matatu stages are a hotspot for infection.

The recent ease of the intercounty cessation is only bound to increase the mayhem of the stages, at least for the next 21 days as most people in areas that were locked down, like Nairobi are about to travel back to the less populated areas and towns.