UBER PARTNERS TO STAGE DEMOS ON TUESDAY OVER REDUCED FARES

Online taxi firm Uber’s partners and drivers in Kenya are set to hold demonstrations on Tuesday over reduced fares. The partners and drivers, who held a planning meeting in Karura Forest on Monday, said all drivers will be offline during the demonstrations.

Since Friday, some of the drivers have been on a go-slow to protest the low fares that they say have dwindled their daily net earnings.

They argue that Uber should take a lower commission since it never consulted them on reduction of fares.

One of the partners who spoke to Nairobi News said the number of rides had increased since Thursday’s announcement of low fares, but the cost of operation had increased.

“Yesterday (Thursday) I did more rides to get to my average daily earnings, but unfortunately half of the amount went to fueling the car which is not usually the case under the previous rates,” the partner said during the Friday interview.

Uber Kenya announced a reduction in fares on Thursday a move that was received well by its customers.

The firm guaranteed its drivers an indemnity of between Sh500 and Sh450 minimum for every peak and off-peak hour respectively that they fail to get ride requests when their Uber gadgets are online.

The drivers however critisised the move to offer indemnity, arguing that the many factors considered by the firm disqualify many of them as the number of rides had increased after price reduction.