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Digital Taxi Sacco have decried the massive overexploitation of drivers and car owners in the Taxi industry over exorbitant commissions.
Speaking to media The National Chairman of the digital driverโs Wycliffe Alutalala cited out Bolt as the most notorious company that has been exploiting drivers and car owners in the Taxi industry.
He pointed out that Bolt has been notorious at ignoring the regulations gazetted on June 20, 2022, by NTSA which required that transport network companies and transport network service providers be licensed before their apps can be used in the country, and also to have physical offices and many other requirements.
โBolt has been licensed to operate in Kenya but it has not met all the set regulations as set by NTSA. For instance, it does not have a physical office where drivers can reach them in case of a complaint or compliment, โThey are charging 29% commission way up from the NTSA capping of 18%. We have taxi-hailing apps in Kenya like Yego who hit the market recently but their commission is as low as 12%. We have no issues so far with such companies,โ said Justin Nyaga- chairman organization of online drivers..
Chairman Mtandao Drivers Paul mwai noted called on Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja to also revoke Boltโs operating license in Nairobi up until they fully comply with the regulations.
โThis does not mean that all other licensed operators have fully complied with the NTSA regulations. We have others like Uber, Little, Farasi and Hava who have also not complied. We have serious issues with Bolt due to the fact that they even remove drivers from the app without prior notification,โ Magadi Sacco Chairperson Julius Ndung’u lamented.
โThey want you to take loans to buy a new car. Car owners have been taking loans from banks but due to frustrations and failure to pay back the loans, their cars have been taken back by the banks and some cars are even rotting in car yards,โ they said.
Further, Alutala said they want Bolt Owner Marcus Villig who is currently in the country to heed to their demands, accusing him of only meeting government officials to salvage his business at the detriment of drivers and car owners.
โWe ask government officials not to have a โhandshakeโ with Mr Villig Marcus. He must first see to it that what we are demanding for is fully met,โ Alutala said.
The Saccos representatives now want to seek audience with President William Ruto in a bid to vent their frustrations to him and as one way to have him help in solving the crisis.
Thy further issued a one week notice to NTSA to compel Bolt to comply with required regulation failure to they will hold a countrywide strike.
