Taxi drivers in Kenya, will stop rendering their services today, Monday, the 15th of July 2019, in an attempt to cripple the operations of majority of the digital-based cab hailing services in Kenya.
The move, is in protest of the collapse of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the drivers and taxi firms in July 2018.
The strike will be undertaken by members who are affiliated to Uber, Taxify and all other taxi applications.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the 14th of July 2019, the Secretary General of the Taxi Drivers and Partners Association of Kenya; Waweru Jamaicah explained that they are demanding better working terms, a sustainable business model and introduction of online taxi regulations.
The statement read, “We are sorry to inform you that you will not enjoy taxi hailing services from 15th July, 2019. All our Drivers & Partners members affiliated to Uber, Taxify and all other taxi APPS have issued a strike notice… Please plan accordingly to avoid any inconveniences,”.
A letter by the drivers represented in the Digital Taxi Forum (DTF) on Thursday, the 11th of July 2019, announced the start of an indefinite stalling seeing no further recourse to their distress.
The letter was addressed to the Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia and served to the Nairobi County Government.
Part of the letter by the Digital Taxi Forum (DTF), read; “We are sad to report that nothing substantial has come out of the MOU to date because the digital taxi app companies never honoured the deal citing diverse excuses,”.
Drivers who use the digital taxi app companies including Uber, Bolt (previously known as Taxify) and Little Cab had on the 11th of July, 2018, reached a return-to-work formula in the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
The chairperson of the Digital Taxi Association of Kenya; Daniel Muteru, says the online app firms had breached the earlier MoU committing to better pay after an 11- day strike.
The Chairperson, added that there is a sizeable of repossessed vehicles taken from their owners by auctioneers, because they defaulted on bank loans as a result of the lower earnings.
The drivers want San Francisco-based taxi e-hailing giant; Uber and Estonian online taxi hailing app; Bolt (previously known as Taxify) and Little Cab which is backed by Safaricom to more than double the cost per kilometre of rides from a low of 16 Kenyan Shillings for Uber, 14 Kenyan Shillings for Bolt, 20 Kenyan Shillings for Little Cab, to 42 Kenyan Shillings, which would match the rates set by the Automobile Association of Kenya (AA) of 45 Kenyan Shillings per kilometre.
The drivers also want the commissions for the apps of the ride hailing services, to be standardised at 10 percent of the total earnings, which is lower than the 25 percent charged by Uber and 15 percent charged by Bolt.
Little Cab, has so far been charging a commission of only five percent.
Mr. Muteru is quoted as saying, “All we want is the earnings to be commensurate with what the business gets.”
The Digital Taxi Association of Kenya Chairperson added that, “We will go on strike from today until our demands are met.”
