Thousands of Nairobi residents who traveled to rural areas for the Christmas and New Year holidays are now grappling with the challenge of finding affordable transport back to the city.
Many returning from their villages have complained about the inflated prices and overbooked buses, making their journey back to Nairobi, Mombasa, and other cities a real struggle.
A resident of Rongo in Migori County, shared his frustrations, saying that he couldn’t secure a seat on any of the usual buses to Nairobi on January 3.
“I tried booking a seat on Easy Coach the day before, but they were fully booked, as were ENA and many shuttles.
Eventually, I had to pay sh 2,500 for a ride to Nairobi, which is much higher than the usual sh 1,500 fare,” he said.
He added that buses had been fully booked from December 30, 2024, through to January 7, 2025.
The resident, who needed to return to Nairobi for work, emphasized the urgency of his travel despite the increased cost.
The situation is expected to worsen in the first week of January 2025, with the reopening of schools adding to the travel congestion.
Many travelers have had to resort to alternative routes, often taking public service vehicles (PSVs) on shorter journeys before connecting to the major routes leading to Nairobi.
Another resident called Anne Moraa, of Isebania, explained how she had to get creative in her travel plans.
“I left on January 2 to avoid the peak rush, but I still faced chaos.
I took a shuttle from Isebania to Kisii, then paid an inflated fare to reach Nairobi,” she said.
“The whole journey cost me more than double what it usually does.”
Kenyans have voiced their frustration with the recurring issue of fare hikes during the festive season, calling the practice exploitative and unfair.
Many are urging the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) to step in and address these price surges and hold PSV operators accountable.
There are also growing concerns about the safety of the vehicles on the road, with complaints about unroadworthy buses and long, unsafe journeys as drivers push themselves to make the most of the holiday rush.
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