Rabat – An internal memo from the Governor of Meknes shows plans in the city to ban ridesharing apps.
Apps such as Uber or Careem allow people to hail a driver to where they are as a means of transport around the city, but they have been the subject of debate among transport professionals since their emergence in Morocco.
The memo justifies the decision as union committees representing the interests of cab drivers in the city have been voicing complaints about ridesharing apps, claiming that they lack the necessary licenses and qualifications to perform the job.
“These practices are against the law and negatively impact the normal process of this highly regulated sector,” the memo reads. “They are additionally unregulated competition that could collaterally harm the principles of citizens’ equality.”
The governor called for the relevant authorities to intervene to stop the practice and appropriately punish violators.
Tensions have been high between taxi drivers in Morocco and ride sharing app workers since they emerged in the country, with the former claiming unfair competition and criticizing the ridesharing companies for the lack of regulatory oversight.
Throughout the years, companies like Careem have tried reaching agreements with the taxi drivers to integrate their services in the apps or otherwise reach a state where they can both coexist, but tensions tend to bubble back up.
Uber, for example, had suspended its services in Morocco in February 2018, but has since bought Careem, meaning it is still present in the country.
These tensions are not exclusive to Morocco, as the appearance of these apps in most other developing countries has ignited disagreements with the already established and organized transport industries.
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