Renowned online cab-hailing company, Uber, is in yet another controversy, but this time in Kenya. Yesterday, Wednesday February 3rd, members of the United Kenya Taxi Organisation (UKTO) gave the government a seven-day ultimatum to ban Uber from operating in the country. If their demands are not met, the Kenyan government should expect a strike action and street demonstrations until the American-based taxi company leaves the country.
Since last month, Uber drivers have suffered attacks from disgruntled regular taxi drivers who say Uber is bad for their business. Uber drivers are not just harassed by these taxi drivers, their cars have also been vandalised on different occasions. Since then, the company has put its drivers on high alert, asking them to operate with caution.
Why Uber must fall
Local taxi operators claim that the company’s cheap pricing model is denying them their livelihood, as some said that they have gone for days without business. With little or no business coming their way, they can neither fend for themselves nor their families.
“We, therefore, as the United Kenya Taxi Organisation, wish to inform the government that we have loans to service, families to feed, children to educate and other responsibilities to cater for…,” reads their statement, adding that they are not ready to bow out of the transport business for a foreign company.