Kenya: Government Stands Firm on Minibus Strike

Kenya has been reduced to a walking nation, with hundreds of thousands of people covering long distances on foot to work and home everyday. Some walk over 20 kilometres a day. The sight of winding streams of people, from as early as 4.30 a.m., heading to work have become the order of the day. The crisis heightened on Feb. 1 after Kenya’s minibus taxis, known as matatus, refused to adhere to new rules meant to restore sanity on the road. Last year, the government launched a massive campaign to restore discipline and safety in the public transport sector, which had been characterised by disorder.