Nairobi governor Mike Sonko has lifted the ban imposes on Public Services Vehicles (PSVs), which barred them from accessing the city center.

The CBD ban, which took effect yesterday, left both commuters and motorists stranded with the former being forced to trek for kilometers while the later got stuck in a historic traffic snarl up that saw motorists spend up to five hours on a journey that on a normal day would take less than an hour.

Sonko said the ban was in good faith and meant to have a proper city for everyone but apologized to the inconvenience caused yesterday especially to the elderly and the physically challenged.

“Although the directive is well-intentioned, many innocent commuters, including senior citizens and those with health challenges requiring emergency medical attention, expectant mothers and children traveling with their parents, all suffered untold inconvenience, and this is regrettable,” the governor said.

The matatu CBD ban was aimed at decongesting the city center but lacked a proper strategy.

Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja had even threatened to go to court to have the ban overturned saying the decision was rushed and the ban implemented without providing alternative modes of transport for commuters.

Sonko said the suspension of the ban will facilitate further consultation with all affected parties, in order to find a lasting solution to the congestion issue.

“Nairobi County government is committed to promote the best, most sustainable and most economical means of transport into and out of Nairobi,” he said.