MATATU MADNESS

Yesterday there was a story in the news where irate commuters smashed television screens that belonged to a matatu plying the Mwiki-town route. This happened after ‘kugeuziwa fare’. For those who dont know ‘kugeuziwa fare’ is where crook conductors tell you a different amount before boarding the matatu but once in the matatu they change and tell you that fare is this amount which is usually a hiked amount. Say for example, when outside you are told that fare to town is 50/- but once inside the matatu you hear them say ‘gari ni 80’. It always happens in other routes but Mwiki is notorius for these kind of stunts. These are the people spoiling the name of the few good making the matatu industry in Kenya full of impunity that many are working hard to do away with and change. It was not in order for commuters to smash television screens of a matatu since its one’s investment and one has no idea what it took to reach there. They should have dealt with the rogue conductors who take advantage to ‘nyanyasa’ them since they seemed to be humble. The said case is that commuters were told fare to Nairobi was 100/- but once in the matatu they were told fare ni 150 to which I was astonished because Mwiki is not in diaspora. Even 100/- is too much for that place unless you stay in places like Ngong, Rongai or even Ruai where the fare shoots past 150. They then disguise it under ‘penda gari fika bei’ shit. Clearly something has to be done about this.

Any experiences you saw or had while travelling inside a matatu??

Share them.

As a mbirrionaire the last time i used a matatu was in 2006…sorry cant relate

When I was in college the hood I lived in had a lot of students. Matatu ikipandisha fare we used to boycott hadi wanashukisha fare. When there are several ma3z kwa stage na hakuna mtu anapanda wanashukisha fare na 10 bob a few working class people run lakini the crowd stays put, they continue like that hadi fare inafika 30 bob from 100 juu ma3 zimeflood.

Best strategy. Works everytime.

Hiyo barabara ni blunder!!!

“Bypass 80 bob”. Reaches Githurai. “Dere amesema haendi Bypass, shika ten bob…”
Inabidi umekubali heshima ndogo, because “You should never argue or fight with someone who has nothing to lose.”

Nimewai panda matatu from Ruaka wakasema watafika town, kufika Ngara wakasema mwisho, shika ten bob, mmatha flani akachocha watu hakuna kushuka, we wasted 1 Hr hio morn. lakini town tulifikishwa na heshima ikadumu

Served them right. Hit where it hurts most.

The conductor should have just told them fare ni 150. Watu wangeingia. Mwiki road is in a mess

Umoja matatus are the real culpits here. Inside the estate they will shout anything for fare. Then as the matatu exits the estate the makanga alights and a new one takes over.

The new asks for nearly twice what had been given as fare. Upon raising a complaint He requests that you pinpoint who said the fare was say 50 Bob.

Unabaki kwa mataa.

Hio strategy haiwes work when there are a lot of females kwa stage.

some route you hike fare at your own risk , watalipa lakini rear weedscreen will be smashed, as you drop on the way !

Kuna time niliambia makanga kama ni hivo nashuka naye stage yangu na nikapigia maboys wakuje hapo stage ya number ten watungojee. Ilibidi ashike adabu na ukweli the boys were ready to deal with him hapo stage.

So what did he do?

To some extent it used to work. Those in a hurry used to yield but considering the destination is a low income area, most people used to wait. Wengine wangengoja for even two hours gari zishuke bei.

He charged the amount quoted initially