Nairobi matatu operators have won a temporary legal reprieve after the High Court blocked the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) from evicting 13 SACCOs operating at petrol stations across the city.
The decision made on Wednesday comes as the operators challenge eviction notices that threatened to disrupt their services and affect thousands of workers and commuters.
The ruling ensures that matatus can continue picking up and dropping off passengers at the affected petrol stations while the court hears the full petition.
Lawyer Danstan Omari, representing the SACCOs, warned that enforcing the evictions could create confusion in the public transport sector and negatively impact livelihoods.
“My clients who are members of the matatu industry, both employees and matatu owners, got summons for eviction from where they are operating in petrol stations. Those summons came from EPRA and told them to vacate with immediate effect,” Omari said.
The matatu operators filed the petition after receiving notices from both EPRA and the Nairobi County government ordering them to leave the stations. Omari explained that the legal action was prompted by information suggesting authorities intended to carry out the evictions on November 19.
“Aggrieved with that, we filed a petition, suing specifically EPRA and the Nairobi County Government and the Attorney General. Directives were issued, and we appeared before Justice Chacha Mwita today,” he added.
The court instructed legal representatives from EPRA, Nairobi County, the SACCOs, and the petrol station owners to meet within seven days to discuss a resolution and prevent a transport crisis.
Omari revealed that they plan to schedule the meeting as early as Thursday, November 20, with any agreement to be presented to the High Court when the case returns on December 1.
Earlier this week, on November 17, matatu operators threatened to suspend their services, citing intimidation and pressure from county officials and EPRA. They had approached the High Court seeking urgent orders to stop enforcement of the ban on passenger pick-ups and drop-offs at petrol stations within Nairobi’s central business district.
The temporary injunction is expected to maintain stability in the city’s transport network while the High Court considers the broader legal arguments. If the court eventually rules in favor of the matatus, it could prevent further disruptions for commuters and secure operational rights at the petrol stations.
The case highlights ongoing tensions between regulatory authorities and the matatu sector over access to petrol stations as key passenger terminals in Nairobi.
