Matatu

File:Kenia matatu.jpg

Riding in a Kenyan matatu - minibus size.

In Kenya and neighbouring nations, matatu (or matatus) are privately owned minibuses, although pick-up trucks were in the past pressed into service as these East African share taxis. Often decorated, many matatu feature portraits of the famous or slogans and sayings. Likewise, the music they play is also aimed at quickly attracting riders.

These minibuses ply set routes, run from termini, and are used for both inter- and intra-city travel. In addition to a driver, matatu may be staffed by a conductor.

As of 1999, they were the only form of public transport available in Nairobi, Kenya, although in 2006 and 2008 this was no longer the case. Kampala, Uganda, may only be serviced by minibuses as of 2008. As of 2014, there are more than 20,000 individual matatu in Kenya. In 1993, there may have been double that number.

Etymology

The name is a colloquialism meaning "three" in Swahili. Most sources agree on this point. However, one source claims the word means "cooperative" in Swahili, and another states it derives from the Kikuyu language, not Swahili.

Most origin explanations rely on the word meaning three. Some maintain that three cents was a typical fare in the 1960s. Another explanation claims the name derives from the Peugeot 504, which could be fitted with three rows of bench seats. It is true that this particular model is associated with the matatu.

Public perception

At times in Kenya, the matatu has been associated with criminality or reckless driving. Writes one academic, "by the end of the 1990s, matatu operators were typically viewed... by Kenyans of all ranks as thugs who exploited and mistreated passengers and participated in gang or mafia-like violence."

In the early 2000s, struggle over control of matatu routes by informal groups led to violence, and contemporary headlines highlight the fact that matatu were perceived as unsafe. These include a 2002 article titled "riding in Kenya's taxi vans is [a] death-defying experience" and another from 1999 proclaiming that the "menace of deadly matatus [is] to be curbed." Mistreatment of passengers has also been reported and includes: "verbal and physical abuse, theft, hijacking, ...sexual harassment, beatings, and rape."

Kenyan regulation

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A Kenyan matatu.

In Kenya, this industry is regulated, and these minibuses must be fitted with seatbelts and speed governors. The Kenyan regime has been described as having extensive regulatory controls, wherein a matatu worker can be pulled from the streets simply for sporting too loud a shirt.

Present regulation may not be a sufficient deterrent to prevent small infractions, as even decoration may be prohibited.

In the 1990s and 2000s, informal groups emerged managing routes and requiring matatu drivers to pay fees. At times, competition over control of routes precipitated violence. Today, an individual matatu must be associated with one of over 600 independent, government-registered groups known as a SACCOs.

As of December 2010, Kenyan Government policy is to phase out minibus matatu in favour of larger, 25+ seat buses. It could take ten years to clear the much smaller minibus from Nairobi streets, however. As of early 2012, there may be few matatu stations remaining in central Nairobi. Regardless, the minibus is still the primary form of transport in the city.

Ugandan regulation

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The Old Taxi Park, Kampala, Uganda.

As of 2008, Kampala, Uganda, has no independent transport authority.

See also

• Dala dala, Tanzania
• Tro tro, Ghana