‘Manyangas’ to have standard body structure in new rules
All matatus will be required to have seats measuring a standard size and carry safety equipment from March next year.
Matatus will also have their body structures regulated, according to new standards prepared by the Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs).
All imported public service vehicles that do not adhere to the body construction standards will not be allowed on the roads starting from March 2017, said the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA).
Mr Gerald Wangai, director of motor vehicle inspection at the NTSA said the new body structure standards were created to bring uniformity among matatus and ensure safety.
According to Mr Wangai, the number of deaths caused by road crashes in Kenya is 59 per week and the implementation of these standards will reduce the number of fatalities.
“Even at 40 kilometres per hour, if a bus lands in a ditch, you will find that people are dying. It is because of the poor construction of buses in Kenya,” said Mr Wangai during a workshop for stakeholders on the implementation of the standards at Utalii College in Nairobi.
Imported vehicles will be checked on arrival at the port.
Body building companies will now have to be assessed by accredited firms to ensure they meet standards, said Mr Zakaria Lukorito from Kebs.
The new standards will also include plans to make vehicle boarding and alighting easier for the disabled.
The workshop was attended by matatu saccos and officials from Kenya Accreditation Service, Kenya Association of Bus Manufacturers and General Motors.