Kenyan violence ruining bus business

The post-election crisis in Kenya has severely affected bus companies in the region. Business is at its lowest ever, according to some companies. Other bus companies have suspended operations in Kenya describing it as risky and uneconomical. The month-long crisis has seen the number of passengers traveling from Bujumbura, Kigali, Kampala and Dar-es- Salaam to Nairobi drastically plummet. Arriving in Kampala from Nairobi, Hesbon Madahana, driver for Akamba Bus, complained: “we are actually making losses because our passengers fear to travel. I brought only 22 people, yet this bus is supposed to carry 47.” He described doing business in Kenya as “risky”. “The atmosphere is tense. Arsonists are torching villages.” Madahana said he heard reports that there are fresh attacks in Naivasha and Moro—key routes to Nairobi for buses coming from Uganda. In a telephone interview from Nairobi Mohammed Abdulbasiet, the managing direct or of Kampala Coaches, said that his bus company is running at a loss. Taylor Karana, a Scandinavia Bus driver, described several roadblocks along the route which are causing delays. To attract passengers, Scanavia Bus Services has reduced the fare from Kampala to Nairobi to Kshs2,000 (Frw22,000) from Kshs2,500 (Frw25000). The move has failed to attract passengers. Gleva Kamugisha, a textiles dealer at Ben Kiwanuka Street in Kampala, recently arrived back from Nairobi where he reports to have seen dead bodies, wounded people, burnt houses and destroyed cars. “It’s so scary. There is talk of security but the police just escort you for a short distance; the rest of the journey you are on your own. It’s really very bad but at least we managed to get here safely,” Kamugisha said. Ends