Travelling for Christmas? You’ll pay more, say matatu owners

Kenyans planning to travel to upcountry to join their families for Christmas celebrations should expect higher fares during this festive season, says the Matatu Owners Association (MOA), which controls most of the public service vehicles operating in the matatu sector across the country.

The association's president, Albert Karakacha, said on Thursday that the reduced pump price in the latest Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) review would not be reflected in the fares. 

Mr Karakacha said that the cost of running the matatu business had increased due to the rise in the cost of spare parts and daily maintenance, which had prevented them from reducing fares as the small amount saved on fuel is spent on spare parts.

“The prices of tyres and spare parts have not reduced. We are still buying spare parts at a higher cost. Even the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) has reviewed its prices higher, yet we have maintained (prices) on our side."

He said that while fares would be increased to reflect the cost of doing business, travellers would not be overcharged.

“This year, demand and supply has gone down because of the cost of living but we have talked to our members countrywide and we agreed that they should be fair when they are charging the fare. They should not charge too high.”

The association has not published a standard fare figure for different routes to guide its customers on how much they should pay, leaving their fate in the hands of drivers and touts who decide how much to charge based on the number of passengers.

Following the latest review of pump prices, EPRA announced a reduction in the retail price of petrol by Sh4.37 per litre, selling at Sh176.29.

The price of diesel and kerosene also dropped by Sh3 per litre to sell at Sh176.29 and Sh148.39 per litre respectively.

This is relatively lower compared to what was charged during the same period in 2023, when motorists in Nairobi were paying Sh212.36 for a litre of petrol, Sh201.47 for diesel, and Sh199.05 for kerosene.

A spot check by Nation.Africa showed that passengers travelling from Nairobi to Kisumu are paying between Sh1,700 and Sh2,000, while those travelling from Nairobi to Eldoret are paying up to Sh1,700, which is expected to change over the weekend and next week as majority of Kenyans still travel home in the last minute.

If you are about to travel from Nairobi to Kisii, Nyamira, Sirare and Migori, a ticket will cost you up to Sh1,800, a similar amount to move from Nairobi to Kericho.

Meanwhile, the association has urged all its drivers to observe road safety rules.

“We are urging our drivers wherever they are to make sure that they drive very carefully,” Mr Karakacha said.

MOA member Angelica Nzilani urged Kenyans to report reckless driving or disrespectful behaviour by matatu operators.

“You have the right to speak out. Our contacts are inside all the matatus. Don’t keep quiet if you are being transported in a manner that is unacceptable,” she said.