Kenya: Tuk tuk operators oppose new guidelines by Mombasa County

By Wachira Mwangi

Tuk-tuk operators in Mombasa County are up in arms against a newly introduced policy that has seen several them denied operating licenses.

The operators allege harassment by the County over new regulations that they say inconvenience their operations.

"We have complaints about how policies are being implemented. Over last week, the county inspectorate and other officials agreed in a meeting to add a Sh1, 000 regulation fee also known as a security sticker. What I do not fathom is why you are needed to have two photos, tuk-tuk logbook, KRA Pin, Identification Number and next of kin?" Mr Barney Ndombi a tuk-tuk operator from Kongowea, Nyali told the Nation.Africa.

According to Mr Ndombi, the tuk-tuk operators normally renew the monthly parking fee of Sh1, 200 every 15th day of the month.

The operators say the county government has notified them to first pay the regulation fee before they are allowed to operate or even renew the monthly parking fee.

The operators now say that they are not allowed to get the next month's parking fees stickers unless the regulation fees is paid.

"There is something fishy going on. We are not aware why they are doing this." Mr Ndombi added.

Kongowea Mlango wa Soko operators said they have been surprised after they were denied the monthly parking stickers despite having paid.

"We need transparency in where the money we are paying will go. We are in a dilemma; how does the county expect us to operate when they keep shifting goalposts. Even if it is a policy, we need public participation and need time as stakeholders before the issues are implemented," said Mr Tsofa Kahindi.

Mombasa County operations and enforcement officer at the Inspectorate office Ibrahim Basafar said that the county has embarked on a new policy to curb runaway crime committed by tuk-tuks within the County.

"We have embarked on the use of security stickers to curb or reduce incidences of crime associated with the tuk-tuks. We will register all tuk-tuk operators and the owners for easy tracing of the tuk-tuks in case of an incident," Mr Basafar said.

He said that the county is coming with a plan to ensure the 20, 000 tuk-tuks operating in the port city are are controlled.

"We cannot allow them to acquire the monthly stickers before documentation and issuance of the security stickers. We are only doing registration to bring sanity to the industry. The operators will have to pay for the stickers," he said.

Mr Basafar explained that this move will help the county in planning, control crime and ensure that the tuk-tuks are in Saccos just like the other public service vehicles.

This article was originally published by the Nation. [Photo: Nation Media Group]