Geoffrey Mosiria the Chief Officerfor Citizen Engagement and Customer Service at the Nairobi City County Government has called on police to investigate an incident in which a woman was captured on video smashing the windscreen of a matatu in Nairobi.
Geoffrey Mosiria addressed the matter after many people online tagged him and asked for his response following the viral video.
In a statement, Mosiria said he had received many messages about the incident and decided to speak after reviewing the information available to him. He noted that the woman had not filed any complaint at the county’s Huduma Centre but admitted that the video was painful to watch.
According to the information he received, the woman was reportedly taking her younger sister back to school when the incident happened in the city centre. After paying KSh 1,000 for the fare, she allegedly asked the conductor to return her balance.
Mosiria explained that the situation quickly turned into a disagreement. The conductor was said to have responded rudely, and the two exchanged words. He added that the conductor allegedly slapped the woman before running away.
The woman then reportedly asked the driver to intervene. However, the driver allegedly dismissed her concerns and told her she could report the matter anywhere she wished.
Feeling angry and frustrated, the woman later broke the windscreen of the matatu.
Mosiria urged the police to thoroughly investigate the matter and take action against all three people involved—the woman, the conductor and the driver.
He also raised concerns about the behaviour of some matatu conductors, saying many passengers often complain that conductors keep their change while pretending to look for loose money until passengers give up and leave.
Mosiria further appealed to police to consider pushing for CCTV cameras in matatus, arguing that such systems could help provide evidence and protect passengers who face harassment while using public transport.