NAIROBI, Kenya Aug 18 – Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has convened a consultative meeting among leaders of ride-hailing companies, drivers, and government representatives.
The meeting, set for September 2023, aims to collectively tackle the sector’s issues.
The participants in the meeting are expected to adopt a comprehensive strategy in order to tackle the existing challenges within the sector, which contribute millions of shillings to government revenue.
“We are keen on resolving the existing challenges in the sector and I believe the consultative meeting will generate solid resolutions that will improve the sector,” Murkomen said.
The ride-hailing drivers persistently encounter a range of challenges, particularly the substantial commissions imposed by their respective companies.
In May 2023, Murkomen gave reassurance that the government would tackle the concern, highlighting that drivers should not be subjected to commissions surpassing 18% of their overall earnings.
“The government’s mandate is to create an enabling environment for the sector to thrive,” he said.
In the past, taxi-hailing drivers have intermittently organized nationwide strikes due to concerns about the perceived lack of attention from the government, specifically the Ministry of Transport, towards resolving their problems.
Murkomen, who continues to play a leading role in driving reforms within the sector, has pledged to definitively tackle all the ongoing challenges.
“We are looking ahead and the government is intentional on this matter,” he said.
