Estonian taxi-hailing firm Bolt has reiterated its long-term commitment to the Kenyan market.
The firm, in a statement, said, “Adherence to Kenyan regulations remains a top priority as it is foundational to building a long-term sustainable business that positively contributes to all stakeholders in the ecosystem.”
“We remain open to collaborative dialogue with our regulator, driver-partners and the wider public to continually ensure full compliance with regulation and expand income generation within our platform.”
This was in response to allegations of license renewal rejection by the Kenyan National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) due to supposed violations.
“This Authority has several formal complaints from drivers and their representatives regarding alleged non-compliance and violations of the provisions of Transportation Network Companies (TNC). The most pressing concerns are in relation to commission charges and the illegality of booking fee which has caused significant concern amongst the driver community,” NTSA said in a letter to Bolt Kenya.
However, the ride-hailing firm maintains that it holds a valid license and is fully operational.
The company has remained compliant with regulations, capping their commission rate at 18 per cent for drivers.
As part of the ongoing annual license renewal process, Bolt will continue to work closely with the regulator.
Furthermore, Bolt plans to invest €100 million in Kenya in 2024 to expand services to more cities and town centres.
