Public transport is mainly provided informally by private operators in major cities in africa. It may not be wise to venture into it if you are tied up in an office job from 8 am to 5 pm. A history of popular transportation in nairobi, mutongi. Each route has the main sacco which, as mandated by the transport licensing board is responsible for managing the affairs of the. Registered matatu sacco in kenya in 2020 ekopa mag. Matatu industry in kenya a study of the performance of owners, workers, and their associations and potential for improvement by orieko chitere. Challenges affecting investment in public transport matatu industry in nairobi kenya oira, a. The origins of matatu industry can be traced from the type of transport system that operated in towns in the early 1960s. Jan 20, 2020 matatu culture is a system where the matatus are often decorated in graffiti art featuring portraits of famous people or slogans and sayings. Formalising the matatu industry in kenya uon repository. Although their origins can be traced back to the 1960s, matatu saw growth in kenya in the 1980s and 1990s, and by the early 2000s the archetypal form was a gaily decorated japanese microvan. Matatus are the informal paratransit industry in kenya that provide service to millions of people a day and are essentially the backbone. In kenyas capital city, nairobi, streets are regularly gridlocked.
The matatu industry is part of the kenya private sector economy. Cooperatives of matatu industry sector in nakuru county, kenya king angi ruth murugi and ngahu solomon thuo school of business, jomo kenyatta university of agriculture and technology abstract the study examined cash management as one of the determinants of financial sustainability of saccos in the matatu industry in nakuru county, kenya. The matatu owners employed strategies that can usefully be. Matatus are the informal paratransit industry in kenya that provide service to millions of people a day and are essentially the backbone of the transportation system in nairobi. He is passionate about strategic and development communication and has previously worked with the kenya institute of curriculum development and the kenya news agency. A significant amount of literature identified matatu drivers specifically as being dangerous drivers, or the main cause of accidents. The impact of monitoring technologies on contracts and. However, the unregulated nature of the matatu industry coupled with gangs and cartels who extorted matatu owners and made it hard for most people to survive in the industry.
The government seeks to protect its citizens from harassment, exploitation and. An investigation of the factors influencing the perfomance of. Every matatu driver has been in jail at least once, says james kariuki, a 20year veteran of the industry. I was in a matatu bussines 3 years a go a long narok bomet kericho nakuru. The organization and future of the matatu industry in nairobi, kenya. This working paper is an analysis of the matatu industry s operations and offers a discussion of how its structure and networks may pose obstacles but also opportunities for transport reform in nairobi, kenya. May 03, 2020 registered matatu sacco in kenya is an article that will look at the some of the saccos which have been approved by ntsa. The objectives of this study were to establish the effect of competitive strategies on the performance of the public service vehicles sector within the transport industry in kenya. Matatu culture is a system where the matatus are often decorated in graffiti art featuring portraits of famous people or slogans and sayings. The friends linked me with sellers of second hand matatus, says wanjiru and adds that in september 2014 she purchased her first matatu at sh270,000. Livelihood, conditions of work, regulation and road safety in. Explore listings for matatu for sale in kenya at best prices. Section 42 1 and 3 of the 1975 traffic act specified speed limits for psv vehicles, while.
Efforts to improve road safety in kenya achievements and limitations of reforms in the matatu industry. But matatu business is lucrative to those who are willing to take the risk and venture into the business. Experimental evidence from kenyas matatu industry erin m. A large and growing informal economy is an issue of concern for many developing countries. The industry is dominated by thousands of smallscale entrepreneurs that own a few minibuses matatus that run on designated routes. Mutongi has written a lively, meticulously researched history of the matatu industry in nairobi. The government seeks to protect its citizens from harassment, exploitation and mistreatment associated with the matatu industry. If there is a sector in kenya that mints billions of shillings everyday but goes unregulated is the matatu industry in kenya psv. Registered matatu sacco in kenya is an article that will look at the some of the saccos which have been approved by ntsa. What you need to know about matatu business in kenya. As i was searching trough the web i came a cross your information. Contributors brighton amwayi a communications graduate with a wealth of experience in the field. Matatu industry in kenya 2004 edition open library.
Kenya that provide service to millions of people a day. These matatus are the only reliable form of public transportation and. The public transport matatus in kenya makes a significant part. July 31, 2018 abstract asymmetric information makes designing contracts challenging. Jul 20, 2017 matatu business is not hard to start as long as you have money to buy a matatu, pay for insurance, psv license and obey the michuki rules. Some of the owners also held positions in government that would make them partisan when making decisions on the matatu industry. Matatuculture is known globally, and its one of those things kenyans are proud of. Published 2004 by institute of policy analysis and research in nairobi, kenya. Matatu routes that have been licensed by the transport licensing board tlb among them. One man is on a quest to document nairobis matatu culture before it disappears. Effect of financial management practices on profitability of. A unique feature in kenyas transport sector has been the rapid expansion of the matatu, a small scale means of transport.
Jul 03, 2018 the matatu industry has undergone immense transformation from the unregulated,chaotic 1990s to a more client focused and fairly safe industry. This is money one can use to buy a second hand matatu that has been on the road for 68 years. The government of kenya has come up with various laws and regulations for the public transport sector. Commonly asked questions about investing in the matatu industry. It also involves pimping the matatu with modern digital display gadgets and of course the music they play is also aimed at quickly attracting riders. The minimum amount of initial capital you can expect to inject to get your matatu on the road is ksh500,000 assuming you buy an old van which has been used locally for several years. Kenya bus though the operation of matatus remained.
But the real problem comes the vehicle hits the road. Among the latest directives aimed at streamlining the matatu industry was cashless transactions to enable taxation and regulate fares that keep fluctuating. The kenyan law require all the psv operators including the matatus to be member of a sacco or psv company before applying for a psv license. The passenger service vehicle psv sector has always been a lucrative industry to invest in.
Matatu culture photos why we are the best urban kenyans. Matatu business is profitable and can make you a millionaire, but you must have solid management skills to penetrate the sophisticated industry. Unfortunately, the sector has largely operated with minimal regulations. Aug 24, 2017 matatuculture is known globally, and its one of those things kenyans are proud of. Institutions and business strategies of matatu operators. Truth be said, the matatu industry employs hundred of thousand if not millions of jobs in kenya but both the national and county governments gets a meager fraction of the taxes and rates they deserve. How to tame the rogue matatu industry in kenya and create.
The passionate tout says colleagues in the industry noticed her determination and advised her to invest in the matatu sector. The impact of monitoring technologies on contracts and employee behavior. Matatu business is not hard to start as long as you have money to buy a matatu, pay for insurance, psv license and obey the michuki rules. After kenyas independence in 1963, africans migrated to nairobi seeking employment opportunities. The organization, issues and the future role of the matatu industry.
Mordernization of matatu industry in kenya youtube. Ultimately, this initiative failed due to complicated power structures that exist around the public transport system in kenya. Regulations in the public transport industry in kenya are in the form of laws and bylaws. Some of its key provisions, such as speed limits and seatbelts, were not new. It is estimated that there are more than half a million psv matatus that ply our roads every day.
Challenges affecting investment in public transport matatu industry in nairobikenya oira, a. This paper is an analysis of the matatu industry and offers a discussion of how its structure and networks may pose obstacles but also opportunities for transport reform in the capital city of nairobi, located in kenya. Matatus are the informal paratransit industry in kenya that provide service to millions of people a day and are essentially the backbone of the transportation system. Acquiring a matatu for the business requires a minimum initial capital of 500,000ksh. Regulation is important for any sector since uncontrolled market place cannot produce behaviour or results in accordance with. Pdf improving tax compliance in the informal sector. Incorporating an array of ethnographic, documentary and archival sources, mutongi vividly illustrates how matatus, those raucous, crowded, colorful van taxis that ply the citys thoroughfares, are not merely an indispensable means of transport for the wanainchi everyday kenyans, but also.
Regulation is important for any sector since uncontrolled market place cannot produce behaviour or results in accordance with the public interest. Oct 08, 20 the technology modernising kenya s matatus. Dec 15, 2012 i was in a matatu bussines 3 years a go a long narok bomet kericho nakuru. This study was guided by three theories of strategic management these are the resource based. Paper prepared on ipar policy brief on the matatu industry in kenya. This paper examines the struggle for livelihood in the matatu industry and the resultant problems of conditions of work, regulation and road safety. The matatu, a smallscale public transport vehicle in kenya, is vital in both rural and urban areas for the movement of people and goods. The technology modernising kenyas matatus bbc news. But matatu culture may soon be under threat from government bans and alternative forms of public transport. The organization and future of the matatu industry in nairobi.
The organization and future of the matatu industry in. On using cars that use less gas, thats for the matatu investors to make the switch and increase on the profits. Aug 22, 2017 a kenyan policeman boards a matatu after the vehicle was stopped for a traffic offense. A kenyan policeman boards a matatu after the vehicle was stopped for a traffic offense. Stratified sampling method was used to draw samples from the selected active matatu saccos registered in thika west district by the ministry of cooperative development and marketing. The matatu sector in kenya has undergone immense transformation, from the unregulated, chaotic 1990s to a more client focused and fairly safe industry. It involves buying of assets which require investing huge initial capital outlay and estimating. How graffiti artists are driving the matatu industry in. Exploring public road passenger transport in kenya. By facilitating a broader policy dialogue involving key stakeholders in the industry and the inclusion of the matatu industry in the reform. The fall of kbs made it possible to run matatu business in kenya in a time where minivans were the preferred mode of transport. The astronomical growth of the public service vehicles, particularly that of the matatu transport cooperatives has created challenges of overcrowding in literally all towns in kenya. Application of porters competitive strategies in the matatu.
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