Kitale: Touts forcefully take over incomplete bus park
Kitale Town’s transport sector crisis deepened on Monday after touts and a section of Matatu and bus owners forcefully took over the main bus terminus that had been closed for construction to decongest the town.
The touts led all vehicles from alternative stages in accessing the new bus park, which has been at the centre of controversy after word went round that a rival group of vehicle owners were to take over.
Touts association chairman Simon Andala said their efforts to have the bus park opened to decongest the town’s transport sector had fallen on deaf ears leading to the forceful take over Monday.
He accused the county government for failing to decongest the town's transport system which had failed leading to some matatus opting for alternative parking without any amenities as others parked along the Kitale –Eldoret highway to pick passengers.
A number of matatu operators who spoke to the People Daily at the bus park claimed Governor Patrick Khaemba was making a bad situation worse by failing to re-open the bus park which had stalled for more than eight years now.
"We do not understand why the county government has deliberately chosen not to open the bus park which has cost over Sh1 billion. We were today Monday left with no other alternative but to occupy this bus park," said Peter Wachira, a driver.
Pandemonium erupted in the bus park as tuk tuks, motorcycles, matatus and buses were moved into the bus park defying orders to wait until it was officially handed over to the county government.
Trans Nzoia county assembly own planning committee chairman who spoke to the People Daily from isolation after contacting coronavirus warned against the take over which he said threatened to congest the bus park and led to the spread of coronavirus.
