Your favorite taxi service in Kenya Uber ChapChap has received the biggest blow following some social distancing guidelines issued by the ministry of health in Kenya.
In what could be a killer blow to the cheap taxi service, the miniature taxi has been ordered to carry only less than zero passengers, leaving even the driver out of the car.
“We have specified that 25-seater vehicles should carry 15 passengers, 14-seater vehicles to carry 8 passengers and Uber ChapChap to carry less than zero passengers,” said the very effective Health CS Mutahi Kagwe. “These measures are supposed to ensure adequate social distancing.”
The directive has led to an outcry from the Uber ChapChap vehicle operators who see a systemic discrimination being meted against them.
One driver lamented, “We have always faced harassment from everyone on the road, and now the government has joined in harassing us. Motorbikes are used to overtaking us, traffic policemen never notice us and instead of some pedestrians flagging us down to stop, they simply hold our rear screen wiper and the car stops. Even street children throw chewing gum on the road so as to stop us and beg for money from us.”
The ban also applies to various models of cars popular with Bolt and Uber, affecting all vehicles with a rated engine capacity of less than 150 cc. The general effect of this is that the cost of transport will go up as people will now be forced to user the UberX service which is more costly, but definitely feels like a real ride.
Rest in peace UberChapChap.
