This archive report was first published on 8 July 2020.
On Monday, President Uhuru Kenyatta lifted a ban on travel in and out of Nairobi, Mombasa, and Mandera counties, allowing buses to travel in and out of these areas for the first time in three months.
Residents who had been trapped in Nairobi since the lockdown took effect in March were eager to return to their families, jobs, and businesses, and began queuing at various bus stages as early as 4am.
However, the vehicles now carry fewer passengers, with 14-seaters allowed to carry only eight passengers, in line with the government's directive to operate at 60 per cent occupancy.
Bus services are preparing to resume operations, but are waiting for new guidelines from the Health and Transport ministries.
“We are ready for business, we just need to know whether bus crew must be tested as one of the new required measures,” said Wycliffe Ndege, an operations manager at Transline Classic Bus Services.
Resumption of transport services has come at an extra cost, with Mololine Sacco charging Sh1,000 for passengers travelling to Nairobi from Nakuru, up from Sh400.
Long haul bus operators based in Mombasa also said they could be forced to hike fares, citing the need to stay afloat in the new normal environment where buses are not allowed to carry to maximum capacity.
