Sakaja Makes U-Turn on Matatus Accessing Nairobi CBD

Nairobi City County has reversed its decision to restrict public vehicles from accessing the Nairobi Central Business District (CBD). On Monday, February 11, Machel Waikenda, the Chief Officer for Mobility in Nairobi, clarified that Sakaja has no plans to expel matatu operators from the CBD.

“I would like to emphasize that there are no intentions to decongest the area using this approach.

The County Government and the Governor’s vision do not involve removing any matatus from the CBD,” the Chief Officer for Mobility stated.

Sakaja Halts Decision to Bar Matatus from Accessing CBD

At the same time, Nairobi City County has announced that it has no plans to increase number of SACCOs within CBD as this measure will enable it ease decongestion within CBD.

“The first step we want to ensure that is being done in Nairobi and especially in the CBD is to ensure that there is order,” the County official added.

Nairobi City County’s decision to try and prohibit matatus from accessing the Central Business District (CBD) sparked an uproar among operators and commuters regarding the challenges stemming from Governor Johnson Sakaja’s campaign promise to decongest the city.

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Some operators urged Sakaja to carry out road maintenance during off-peak hours to prevent traffic congestion.

“One thing we noticed during Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration under the Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) was their efficient management of the city. They used to complete tarmacking and cleaning of the town overnight, which is why there was little traffic,” a matatu operator recounted.

Efforts to ease congestion in Nairobi had resumed, approximately three years after a similar initiative led by the Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) failed.

This issue was among the key discussions during a meeting held at Charter Hall, Nairobi, on February 6, 2025, which brought together representatives from matatu saccos, the police, and county officials.

Nairobi City County Revives Plan to Decongest Matatu from CBD

During the closed-door session, stakeholders also addressed the number of designated matatu pick-up and drop-off points within the Central Business District (CBD).

“We regularly convene to discuss proposals from the county governor before they are put into action,” said John Kibe, a representative from one of the saccos.

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He further noted, “One of the matters raised was the plan to decongest the city by reducing the number of pick-up and drop-off points.”

Governor Sakaja emphasized the need for transformation, stating, “We must change our city, and there is no way around it. Nairobi is not in competition with Kisumu or any other local city—we are competing with global cities and achieving that requires making significant changes.”

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