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Second Uber taxi burned in Nairobi amid tensions with conventional taxis Second Uber taxi set on fire in Kenya amid competition row
(35 minutes later)
A second Uber taxi has been burned in Nairobi as tensions rise between the fast-growing ride-hailing service and conventional taxis, a Kenya police official said on Wednesday. An Uber taxi has been set on fire in Nairobi as tensions rise between the ride-hailing service and conventional cabs, according to a Kenyan police official.
Related: Traffic chaos and violence as thousands of taxi drivers protest against Uber in Jakarta In the second attack of its kind in a matter of weeks, a man hired the vehicle to take him to the outskirts of the capital but led the driver to a dark alley, Nairobi’s police chief, Japheth Koome, said on Wednesday.
A man hired the Uber taxi to take him to the outskirts of the capital but led the driver to dark alley, the Nairobi police chief, Japheth Koome, said. The driver told police he saw four men approach the car and managed to escape when they tried to restrain him, Koome said. The car was burned out.
The driver told police he saw four men approach the car and managed to escape when they tried to restrain him, Koome said. The car was completely burned, he said. “We are determined to end this madness where people are maliciously attacking and damaging other people’s property,” Koome said.
“We are determined to end this madness where people are maliciously attacking and damaging other people’s property,” said Koome. Late last month, another Uber car was burned by unknown assailants. Taxi operators asked the government in February to prevent the operations of Uber, which has become popular because of its cheaper fares.
In late February an Uber car was burned by unknown assailants. Taxi operators last month asked the government to stop the operations of Uber, which has become popular because of its cheaper fares. Taxi drivers say they are suffering as a result of unfair competition from Uber, which has faced legal challenges around the world, but Uber argues that Kenya’s taxi sector needs to accept the competition.
The incidents occurred even as the Kenyan government’s Interior Ministry and director of competition are mediating the trade conflict between the rival groups, he said. The interior ministry and the director of competition were mediating between the rival groups, Koome said.
Traditional taxi drivers say they are suffering unfair competition from Uber, which has faced legal challenges around Europe. Uber argues that Kenya’s taxi sector needs to catch up with the times.