55 Percent of Kenyans Using Matatus have been Harassed by Crew -GeoPoll Survey

According to a recent GeoPoll flash survey conducted among Kenyan residents on safety using Public Transport Vehicles (Matatus), a vast majority of those who commute using Matatus have experienced harassment in form of insults. The number of commuters who reported to have been physically violated by Matatu crew was at 41% with a majority saying they have never been victims of physical violence. According to the survey, many of these cases go unreported as most Kenyans do not think anything will change once they report.

Last month (October), an incident involving a female passenger and Matatu crew in Nairobi, Kenya turned a national spotlight on the country’s public transport industry.

The lady recounted an alleged attempt to drug her by Matatu crew. Her story become a trending topic on Kenya’s social media prompting the Kenyan mainstream media to pick it up.  The police apprehended the vehicle driver and the case is pending in court.

A few weeks later, a lady motorist was allegedly drugged on Nairobi’s Uhuru Highway, by individuals pretending to distribute leaflets. 

According to the GeoPoll RapidPoll, a vast majority of those who commute using Matatus have experienced harassment in form of vulgar language and have also witnessed a woman being verbally harassed by the PSV crew. According to the survey, many of these cases go unreported as most Kenyans do not think anything will change once they report. 71% of our respondents said that despite being harassed in a Matatu, they did not report the incident to the police.

 Matatus the main mode of Public transport

 In 1990, the total number of licensed Matatus stood at 17,600. Currently, the number of Matatus operating on Kenyan roads is estimated at over 100,000.  This is according to a 2016 UNEP’s overview of the industry.

The Matatu industry is the informal Paratransit industry in Kenya, for a majority of Kenyans (95%), it is the only means of commute according to findings from our rapid survey.

Use of Vulgar Language in Matatu by Crew

The government, through the National Transport & Safety Authority (NTSA), enforced regulations that require PSV operators to join independent, Government-registered transport companies or Savings and Credit Co-operatives (Saccos). Cases of verbally abuse and physically assault, according to our survey, are still rife.

In the survey, 55% of Kenyans said they hav