Parents decry high bus fares as schools reopen
Several school children were Monday stranded at Kisii bus park after some matatu operators increased fares to various destinations as schools reopened.
Pamela Moraa said she was stressed after the operators increased fares from Kisii to Ahero from Ksh. 400 to Ksh 600 and was unable to raise the fare for her daughter to go to Ahero Girls.
“It is now noon and I have been here since 7 a.m and I am looking for more money to top up for my daughter to go to school,” Moraa told People Daily.
She said there were few vehicles and the matatu operators had taken advantage of the rush to increase the fares, noting it was affecting poor parents.
Francis Ratemo, a parent said the operators had increased fares from Kisii to Kisumu from Ksh.600 to Ksh. 1000 and few passengers afforded to pay.
He said vehicles plying far-flung routes were inadequate, adding that some parents who had taken their children to far flung schools will reach home late and be victimized for violating the curfew which starts at 10.am to 4.pm.
Eric Ogega, a manager of Transline bus company urged school Heads not to send children away for fees, saying it will be expensive to parents who have been affected with Covid 19.
“We are charging ksh. 1500 from Kisii to Nairobi and have been doing it since the outbreak of the pandemic,” Oogega said.
A spot check by People Daily showed that passengers traveling from Kisii to Nakuru paid ksh. 1000 fare up from Ksh. 600.
Owners of private vehicles had taken advantage of the shortage of the vehicles and were charging passengers Ksh. 3,500 to Nairobi up from 1500.
