A back-to-school travel crush caused major delays and jacked up fares in Kisumu. Thousands of travelers heading to cities on Sunday faced long waits and congestion at bus parks, with matatu fares rising by roughly five hundred to seven hundred shillings due to heavy one-way demand ahead of Monday's school reopening. James Omwa, secretary of the local Matatu Owners Association, said operators deployed extra vehicles, including some pulled from Nairobi town service, to handle the surge, but trips were still fully booked for days.
Passengers at the Kisumu main terminus waited hours for transport, with one trader stranded from morning until afternoon. Omwa urged strict compliance with traffic rules, warning drivers against speeding, fatigue, and drunk driving while reminding parents to verify vehicle licenses via the NTSA app. He noted support for ongoing multi-agency safety operations following a deadly December on the roads, emphasizing the goal of getting students back safely. The fare hike pushed typical prices from about fifteen hundred shillings to between two thousand and two thousand three hundred.
Passengers at the Kisumu main terminus waited hours for transport, with one trader stranded from morning until afternoon. Omwa urged strict compliance with traffic rules, warning drivers against speeding, fatigue, and drunk driving while reminding parents to verify vehicle licenses via the NTSA app. He noted support for ongoing multi-agency safety operations following a deadly December on the roads, emphasizing the goal of getting students back safely. The fare hike pushed typical prices from about fifteen hundred shillings to between two thousand and two thousand three hundred.
