Lamu commuters still banned from travelling at night

Owners of public service vehicles in Lamu County will have to continue adhering to a night travel ban imposed eight years ago.

Even as the government announced the resumption of night travel across the country following President Uhuru Kenyatta’s move to lift the Covid-19 night curfew, travellers on the Lamu-Witu-Garsen route must stay away from the road at night.

Lamu security officials have said the ban on night travel will remain in force in the region.

Speaking to Nation.Africa on Sunday, County Commissioner Irungu Macharia explained that the ban on night movements in Lamu was not brought about by the Covid-19 curfew but rather security concerns.

“No night travel restriction in Lamu County has been lifted. Commuters plying our route should continue adhering to the existing county travel arrangements. They should know that the ban on night movement here was not about the curfew but security concerns. So it remains,” Mr Macharia.

In July 2014, the national government banned night travel on the Lamu-Witu-Garsen route following a spate of Al-Shabaab attacks targeting passenger and security vehicles.

Public service vehicles (PSV) were instead directed to travel only during daytime and in one convoy escorted by armed police, an arrangement that continues.

But with the announcement last Friday by Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia that night travel could now resume, Lamu road users were optimistic that they would also be allowed to travel at night.

Mohamed Ali, a PSV driver on the Lamu-Witu-Garsen road, thanked the national government for completing the construction of the road but was quick to say that the ban should be lifted.

The Sh10.8 billion road was officially opened by President Uhuru Kenyatta on May 20, the same day he commissioned the first berth at the new Lamu port site in Kililana, Lamu West.

“We are enjoying having a new road in Lamu. Security has also improved. PSVs plying our route in recent days have increased tremendously. We were looking forward to the resumption of night travel in the country to include Lamu,” Mr Ali said.

Said Omar, another driver, said it is important for the Lamu night travel ban to be lifted as the number of tourists is rising, especially since the Lamu port opened.

“The December tourist high season is around the corner. Christmas and New Year festivities are also nearing. Visitors and other people coming here to look for work at the new port have also increased in recent times,” he said.

“That means the transport business is booming. We just want a situation where people can travel at any time they wish, with no limitations such as the night travel ban.”

Travellers have also urged the government to reduce the number of security roadblocks on the Lamu-Witu-Garsen route.

There are at least four roadblocks between the Mokowe Depot in Lamu and the Minjila junction in Tana River County.

They are in Ndeu, Witu, Gamba and Itsowe.

These checkpoints are managed by the police and Kenya Defence Forces soldiers.

Passengers are usually required to alight with all their luggage for checks at some of the checkpoints before being allowed to proceed.

“If they won’t lift the night travel ban in Lamu, then they should remove or reduce the numerous roadblocks so that our movements can be faster. Some of these roadblocks have also been turned into a cash cow,” said Mubarak Sheikh Mohamed, the Lamu route manager for Munawar Shuttle.

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