NAIROBI, Kenya, July 6 – Tuk tuk operators have given Professor Makau Mutua seven days to apologise for describing their vehicles as “pathetic contraptions,” warning they will pursue legal action and nationwide peaceful demonstrations if he fails to do so.
The demand was issued by the Tuk Tuk Operators Network (TTON), whose National Chairman Vincent M. Were said the remarks demeaned hundreds of thousands of Kenyans who depend on the sector for their livelihoods.
“We therefore call upon Professor Makau Mutua to publicly withdraw his remarks and issue an unconditional apology to the hundreds of thousands of Kenyan tuk tuk families whose dignity has been undermined,” Were said.
“As a respected public intellectual and senior adviser, his words should unite rather than stigmatize hardworking Kenyans. We respectfully request that this apology be issued within seven (7) days from the date of this statement.”
Were warned that failure to apologise would prompt the association to mobilise its members across the country to defend the industry’s interests through lawful means.
“Should no apology be forthcoming, we will consult our members nationwide and consider appropriate lawful, peaceful, constitutional, and democratic measures to defend the dignity, economic rights, and legitimate interests of the tuk tuk sector,” he added.
Earlier this month, Mutua wrote on his X account that tuk tuks were “pathetic contraptions,” arguing they were not roadworthy, were unsightly, degraded Kenya’s capital city and should be removed from major roads in cities and towns.
TTON defended the industry, saying it plays a critical role in the country’s economy and provides employment to thousands of Kenyans.
According to Were, Kenya has at least 150,000 tuk tuks, each generating an average of Sh1,000 a day over 30 working days, translating to about Sh4.5 billion in monthly economic activity and an estimated Sh54 billion annually.
“We are taxpayers. We are investors. We are employers. We are job creators. We are nation builders. We deserve recognition—not ridicule,” Were said.
