Matatu strike unjustified

JANUARY 4, 2010

BACKGROUND: Matatus are on a three day strike to protest alleged police harassment. Many commuters have suffered and to add salt into injury, the weather is not favorable.

QUESTION: Is the ongoing nationwide Matatu strike justified?

Ahmed Omar, 39, Civic leader, Bofu.

The strike is justified. We know Matatus break the law at times but the way the police deal with them leaves a lot of questions. They literally bully them and it appears Matatu operators have been pushed to the wall. The government should reform the police force to ensure our officers handle traffic cases professionally because at the end of the day it is commuters and especially students who are suffering.

Omar Ochieng’, 39, Businessman, Likoni.

The strike is not justified. Neither will it help them. The Matatus are not complying with traffic rules. Most of them play loud music yet it was outlawed. Some have no speed governors or seatbelts thus endangering the lives of commuters. The government should not compromise our safety simply because of the strike. Crackdowns must continue.

Francis Auma, 32, Civil Activist, Kizingo.

The strike is by all reasons justified. That is the only language this government and other third world countries can hear. Its better we suffer for a week or two but have the real problems facing the Matatu industry addressed. The industry is faced with corruption which must be stopped. The operators should stop bribing the officers.

Penina Muthungu, 20, student, Changamwe.

The strike is not justified. The operators should have sent their representatives to negotiate with the minister concerned. The timing too is bad because students cannot go back to school. Other businesses too have been affected. The police should however be reformed to rid it of corrupt officers frustrating Matatu operators.

Nyota Mwinyi, 49, Typist, Buxton.

Although Matatu operators have a right to demand for better terms of operations, their strike is not justified. If they have issues with the police why are they torturing the common mwananchi? Now our children cannot go to school and we have to pay a lot of money to get to work. They have directed their anger to the wrong people .The government should address their pleas as soon as possible so that everything returns to normalcy.

ENDS.