Machakos Matatu Operators Sacco Chairman Onesmus Ndambuki addressing Journalists at Machakos. Photo by Andrew Mbuva. 
By Andrew Mbuva.
Matatu operators in Machakos Town have, for the third consecutive day, boycotted the county bus park in protest over what they describe as an unfair allocation of parking bays, bringing transport operations and business activities at the facility to a near standstill.
The boycott has seen at least 45 public service vehicles abandon the county bus park, leaving the usually busy terminal largely deserted. Operators have instead relocated to various entry points into the town to pick up passengers, causing traffic congestion and disrupting the town's normal transport operations.
The operators accuse the county government of favouritism in the allocation of parking spaces, alleging that one Sacco has been allocated more than seven bays while several others have been left without any designated parking slots.
Speaking on behalf of the operators, Machakos Matatu Operators Sacco Chairman Onesmus Ndambuki said they have written several letters to the County Department of Lands and Urban Development seeking intervention but have received no response.
Ndambuki maintained that the county government must address what he termed as an inequitable distribution of the 67 available parking bays at the bus park.
Only MAKOS Sacco has continued operating from the county bus park, with its officials also criticizing the county administration for allegedly giving preferential treatment to selected Saccos while sidelining others.
A Sacco official, Kyalo, warned that if the dispute is not resolved by the end of the day, operators will escalate their protests by driving all their vehicles to the offices of the County Executive Committee Member for Lands in a demonstration aimed at compelling the county government to address their grievances.
The boycott has also dealt a heavy blow to businesses operating within and around the bus park. Traders say customer numbers have dwindled sharply, with some reporting that they have not made a single sale since the matatus relocated. Drivers and conductors have likewise complained of mounting financial losses as the standoff continues.
The dispute is not new. Two months ago, chairpersons from more than 40 matatu Saccos held talks with the County Executive Committee Member for Lands and Urban Planning, who promised to resolve the matter amicably. However, operators say no meaningful action has been taken, allowing the disagreement to escalate into another round of protests.
The matatu operators have vowed to maintain the boycott until the county government addresses what they describe as blatant unfairness in the allocation of parking bays, raising fears of further disruption to transport services and business activities in Machakos Town if the impasse remains unresolved.
