Digital taxi drivers protest CS failure to gazette regulations

NAIROBI, Kenya, March 1- Digital Taxi drivers under the Digital Taxi Forum (DTF) have taken to the streets to demonstrate the failure by the Cabinet Secretary (CS) of Transport to gazette the Digital Hailing Service regulations (TNC Rules 2022) which had been passed by the Senate labor committee chaired by Senator Johnson Sakaja.

The regulations which had been proposed by the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) would among others, prohibit digital hailing service operators from charging a commission of more than 15 percent.

The protest comes after DTF issued a 7 days notice on February 19 to CS for Transport James Macharia to Gazette the Digital Taxi Regulations. In the absence of which there would be a countrywide boycott and switch-off of all apps.

True to their word and following the expiry of the notice, digital taxi drivers led by DTF went to the office of the CS yesterday to protest this omission.

“The CS snubbed us and refused to address our concerns. For this reason, we shall continue protesting every Monday until the CS gives us the audience,” stated one of the DTF members, Fredrick Oduor Omondi

CS Macharia is still yet to issue a statement as to why he has failed to gazette the regulations.

If passed, the regulations would also require international digital taxi firms to set up a subsidiary in Kenya and pay an application fee of Sh500,000 and an annual renewal fee of Sh300,000 as well as prohibit digital E-hailing service operators from charging a commission of more than 15 percent.