This archive report was first published on 20 December 2019.
As Christmas nears, bus companies in Kenya have increased fares by up to 100 percent for long-distance travel to destinations such as Kitale, Kakamega, Kisumu, and Mombasa.
The rise in fares comes on the back of increased demand for travel, with many Kenyans heading to their hometowns for the festive season.
According to a spot check by the Business Daily, bus firms such as Easy Coach were fully booked up to December 26, with the recent suspension of Modern Coast buses adding to the woes of passengers.
At Climax Bus Company, fares for passengers heading to Busia and Kisumu from Nairobi had doubled from Sh1,000 to Sh2,000, while the company was also charging Sh1,600 to ferry passengers to Bungoma and Kitale from Nairobi, up from Sh1,000 - a 60 per cent increment.
"The demand for passengers plying various upcountry routes is very high. As you can see, there are a few buses yet we have a good number of passengers. It is the reason why bus companies are raising fares," said an official at Climax Bus Company.
Other operators claimed the increase was meant to cover the cost of returning near-empty vehicles, but the Business Daily witnessed most buses coming back to the city with passengers.
At Eldoret Express, hundreds of passengers thronged their booking offices only to find that the buses were fully occupied, with a ticket for passengers heading to Butere, Kakamega, Bungoma, and Kimilili going for Sh1,600 up from Sh800.
Green Line Bus Company, which also ferries passengers on the same route, had increased its fares, forcing some passengers to shelve their travel plans.
However, not all bus companies were increasing fares. Easy Coach, which charges an average fare of Sh800 to Sh1,500, said it did not plan to raise fares, while The Guardian Bus Service also said it was not planning to increase fares during the festive season.
