Mombasa Tuktuk Operators Threaten Shutdown Over NTSA Fines

Tuktuk operators under the Boda Boda and Tuk Tuk Transport Cooperative Union of Kenya (BOTUK) gave Mombasa County a seven-day ultimatum on Monday to scrap new National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) registration requirements linked to Mombasa tuktuk fines, warning of a total transport shutdown if the county fails to act.

The union says a Sh5,000 penalty attached to each violation flagged under NTSA’s Instant Fines Management System has become unsustainable for operators who own several vehicles, since each unit can attract a separate charge.

What the Mombasa Tuktuk Fines Dispute Means for Operators

BOTUK secretary Morara Omanga said an owner with five tuktuks could accumulate Sh25,000 in penalties, a cost he called financially unsustainable for small operators.

“If a tuktuk owner has five cars, and each has been stricken with a Sh5,000 fine, that will be too expensive for the car owner and will eventually make the operating cost really expensive,” Omanga said.

He added that BOTUK members would bring their vehicles to county offices to demonstrate the scale of their grievance.

“We will put transport activities in this county to a standstill, and bring all our tuktuks to the county government offices so that you see how serious we are,” Omanga said.

However, operators are not only contesting the fines. They also cite parking fees of Sh5,000 per vehicle and constant monitoring by speed cameras, which they fear could expose their data to misuse.

Union Cites Court Ruling, Though Its Scope Is Unclear

BOTUK further points to a recent High Court ruling affecting NTSA enforcement, arguing that county officials are still demanding payment despite the order.

However, the ruling the union references concerns annual inspection rules for private, non-commercial vehicles, not the instant fines regime that applies to public service vehicles such as tuktuks.

It remains unclear whether the union is citing a different, unreported ruling specific to PSVs or has conflated the two matters.

Meanwhile, the union says the county sidelined operators during decision-making on the new rules, despite the direct effect on their livelihoods.

BOTUK also raised a social concern, warning that high registration costs could push idle youth toward crime.

“The new registration costs of tuktuks are also expensive. This situation will make our Mombasa youth resort to the old ways of crime, a situation we do not want,” the union stated.