Matatu Owners Association (MOA) has confirmed that there is no Matatu strike across the country, following reports doing rounds on social media that its members had downed their tools over hiked fuel prices.

“There is no Matatu strike and the news doing rounds on the same are just but fake and as an association, we do not know the authors of the stories,” Simon Kimutai told K24 Digital.

Kimutai added that for a genuine strike to be staged, there are procedures to be followed by the association and other stakeholders, explaining that there is always room for negotiation too.

What Kimutai calls fake notice circulated yesterday warning that there was to be Matatu strike owing to the surge of petrol price as announced by EPRA recently. The alleged strike caused panic among the passengers, as the purported notice had warned that there will be a hike in bus fare as well.

The organization told Kenyans to relax as there will be no fare hike and that as an association they are in talks with the central government and other stakeholders to reach an amicable agreement.

He also warned of fake associations that pose as MOA. “The association is asking all its members to be keen on ‘associations’ pretending to represent them. Such should be reported to authorities,” he explained.

The chairman further told K24 Digital that they do not plan to increase fare because it would increase burden to the already straining Kenyans as the economy has been crippled by COVID-19 pandemic.