BUJUMBURA, January 16th (ABP) – The presence of touts, commonly called “Kokayi”, at bus stops in the neighborhoods of Bujumbura, increasingly worries users.
During a visit that a check by ABP made to some bus stops in Ntahangwa district, particularly on Kanyoni road in the Cibitoke County, and near the Top One station at Cotebu, it was revealed that their practices contribute significantly to the inflation of public transport prices, thus arousing discontent among passengers.
The testimonies collected from passengers met at those locations during this visit converge on the intervention of the “Kokayi” in the negotiation of fares between drivers and passengers which, according to them, leads to an incomprehensible increase in prices, making daily travel increasingly expensive.
Niyonzima Léonce, a passenger met at the bus stop on the Kanyoni road, testifies to the inconvenience caused by the massive presence of those touts. “As soon as a taxi arrives, they rush to negotiate the prices for us. Their main goal is to obtain their commission, which ranges between 500 and 1000 BIF, once the vehicle is full,” he explains.
This practice has led to a significant fluctuation in fares between the Kanyoni road and the city center, with the price now ranging between 4,000 and 5,000 BIF per passenger, or a total cost of 20,000 BIF for a full four-seat taxi. “We feel like we are being held hostage,” he laments. “It is an unbearable situation for us,” say the passengers. This phenomenon is not an isolated case on the Kanyoni road but the situation is found on other roads. Near the Top One station at Cotebu, Jacqueline Mukandori also confirms these observations. “Instead of letting us discuss directly with the drivers, especially during this period of fuel shortage, the touts systematically intervene to negotiate prices before we even get on board. This systematic intervention by the “Kokayi” deprives passengers of any possibility of negotiation and often results in exorbitant prices,” she says.
“We feel powerless in the face of this situation. We are forced to accept the prices they set, otherwise we risk not being able to return home, especially in the evening,” Mukandori deplores.
Faced with this worrying situation, Mukandori calls on the Bujumbura city’s competent authorities to take concrete measures to put an end to these practices, which considerably disrupt travel.