Blow to digital taxi drivers as State disowns pact over pay
By Hillary Mageka, August 9, 2019
The National Treasury and Competitions Authority of Kenya (CAK) have disowned a deal signed between online taxi drivers and various digital taxi companies, deepening the misery of drivers, who are pushing for better pricing.
Appearing before the Senate Labour and Social Welfare Committee, Labour Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yattani and CAK director general Geoffrey Mwamburi said it was not within the purview of the government to set the pricing for the firms.
Yattanisaid Uber, Bolt (formerly Taxify) and Little Cab are not transport companies and thus there was no contractual agreement between the firms and the drivers, agitating for higher rates.
“What exists is private contractual agreement between the owners of the car and drivers. It has nothing to do with the apps,” Yatani told the team, led by Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja.
Mwamburi said CAK’s mandate was restricted in dealing with the matter as it was not about competition.
Online taxi drivers have downed tools at least three times since 2016 protesting “poor working conditions and terms of service”.