Matatu chaos: How Kenya's public transport descended into road anarchy

A capital city that once prided itself for an orderly public transport system, complete with uniformed crews, designated bus stops, scheduled routes and a culture of courtesy, is today struggling under a chaotic one where lawlessness has become the norm and passengers are increasingly at risk.

From speeding vehicles and deadly fare disputes to matatus driving on pedestrian walkways and ignoring traffic lights, Nairobi’s public transport sector is a manifestation of declining discipline on Kenyan roads.

A recent tragedy that claimed seven lives along Enterprise Road has once again forced the country to confront difficult questions about road safety, enforcement and the future of public transport.

For grieving families, the accident was evidence of a transport system that many believe has steadily deteriorated despite years of reforms, regulations and promises.

When key provisions of the Traffic Amendment Act, particularly Sections 37 and 38, took effect on December 1, 2012, Kenyans welcomed them as a turning point.

The law introduced tougher penalties for careless and dangerous driving, speeding, carrying excess passengers and failure by PSV crews to wear uniforms.

The objective was simple: restore order and make public transport safer and more dignified.

Many hoped the era of rogue drivers and reckless conductors was finally ending. Instead, fourteen years later, many of those gains appear to have evaporated.

Walkways

Today, Nairobi’s roads often resemble battlegrounds where motorists, pedestrians and matatu operators compete for survival. Traffic lights are routinely ignored while Zebra crossings have become decorative road markings rather than protected pedestrian zones.

Roundabouts, once governed by simple right-of-way rules, have become arenas where the most aggressive driver wins.

Walkways are no longer reserved for pedestrians and many have become unofficial roads for matatus attempting to bypass traffic jams.

“What we are witnessing is organised road anarchy,” said road safety advocate Peter Mwangi.

“These vehicles are not only violating traffic laws but are endangering the lives of passengers, pedestrians and other motorists every single day. The Enterprise Road tragedy was not an accident waiting to happen. It was the predictable outcome of years of lawlessness,” Mwangi added.

Yet older Nairobi residents remember a completely different transport culture. A city that once celebrated organised bus services, disciplined crews and respect for passengers now finds itself trapped in a culture where commuters often board vehicles with uncertainty and fear.

The dream of safe, reliable and dignified public transport has been replaced by daily survival.

Stakeholders now blame the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), traffic police and the Nairobi County government for allowing the crisis to flourish under their watch.

Number plates

For decades, companies such as the Kenya Bus Service and Nyayo Bus Service represented a structured and reliable transport network.

Their buses carried identical colours and branding, and passengers knew where to board and alight.

Conductors wore uniforms and treated commuters with respect and, in most cases, lost luggage was often recovered and stored safely at company offices until owners collected it.

Routes operated according to schedules with crews working in shifts. Drivers rarely competed recklessly for passengers.

School-going children frequently travelled free or at discounted rates while elderly passengers and persons living with disabilities received priority treatment.

Back then, Nairobi was positioning itself as the “City in the Sun” — an emerging regional business and innovation hub where public transport reflected a sense of order and professionalism.

Today, many commuters struggle to recognise what used to be the City in the Sun since the retrogression has been dramatic.

The modern Nganya culture has produced heavily modified matatus covered in graffiti, fitted with powerful sound systems and dazzling flashing lights.

Some operate without visible number plates, others display controversial imagery and slogans.

The competition is no longer about providing reliable service but attracting attention. Many commuters complain that some crews appear intoxicated while on duty.

Formal training is often absent and discipline has become the exception rather than the rule.

Countless passengers continue to risk their lives daily inside vehicles operated by individuals who behave as though they are untouchable.

Across the city, reckless overtaking, speeding and dangerous lane changes have become common.

Drivers perform risky “nyoka” manoeuvres through traffic while conductors hang from moving vehicles shouting for passengers.

Overloading remains a concern despite regulations prohibiting it as arbitrary fare increases frequently trigger confrontations.

Parents say they live in constant fear whenever their children board public service vehicles.

“As a mother, I worry every day when my children travel to school. I have to call the class teacher to confirm safe arrival at school. In the evening, I sigh relief when I see him home,” said Jane Wanjiru from Embakasi.

“The music is too loud, drivers are speeding and some conductors behave like bullies. We have normalised behaviour that should never be accepted in a civilised society.”

Joseph Otieno, whose children commute daily, says the situation has become a security concern.

“Some switch off interior lights at night. You travel in complete darkness. If something happens inside the vehicle, nobody can identify anyone. This is not just a transport issue anymore. It is also a security issue,” Otieno says.

Fleeing drivers

The death of a Kenya Medical Training College student has further exposed the dangers facing commuters.

Nineteen-year-old Eugene Mutuku reportedly died after being pushed from a moving bus along Thika Road following a dispute over an additional Sh20 fare.

Police say the student was travelling from Thika to Nairobi when an argument erupted with the conductor near Garden City Mall.

He sustained fatal injuries after falling from the vehicle. The driver and conductor allegedly fled after abandoning the bus in Nairobi.

His death aroused public outrage over the growing number of passengers allegedly assaulted or thrown from moving vehicles over minor fare disagreements.

Consumer rights activist Esther Njeri says the incidents reveal a dangerous culture of dehumanisation.

“How does a disagreement over Sh10 or Sh20 end with somebody dead?” she posed.

“These are not mere accidents. These are criminal acts. Passengers entrust their lives to these operators and some crews respond with violence.”

Mutuku’s death is not an isolated case.

In February this year, Joseph Mureithi reportedly died after being pushed from a moving vehicle during a fare dispute.

In March 2025, Gilbert Thuo Kimani allegedly lost his life after being thrown from a moving matatu along Thika Road. More than two decades earlier, a dispute over a Sh5 fare at Allsops ended with the killing of a passenger, leading to the conviction of a matatu driver and conductor.

Many hoped that harsh punishment would deter future offenders. Instead, the same patterns continue to emerge.

One of the most heartbreaking cases involved 21-year-old student Doreen Kinya Mwiti who was pushed to death in June 2018. 

Court records show that an argument erupted after passengers complained that the crew had bypassed their designated stage.

The conductor allegedly pushed her from the moving vehicle near Safari Park. She suffered catastrophic injuries and later died.

The High Court recently sentenced the driver and conductor to ten years imprisonment each. The court emphasised the need for deterrent punishment to address growing lawlessness within the public transport sector.

Road safety experts argue that such tragedies are symptoms of deeper institutional failures. Many point to the successful reforms introduced by former Transport Minister John Michuki in 2004.

Before the reforms, Kenya’s roads were notorious for speeding, overloading and widespread indiscipline.

Public confidence

Michuki introduced mandatory seat belts, speed governors, uniforms, identification badges and stricter inspections.

Standing passengers disappeared, drivers became more cautious, noise levels reduced and road accidents declined. The famous ‘Michuki rules’ became the cure of a disorderly sector which had just changed.

“The difference was remarkable. You could actually enjoy travelling. Drivers respected the law because they knew there were consequences,” recalled retired teacher Samuel Karanja.

For a few months, the reforms restored public confidence. However, stakeholders say enforcement gradually weakened. Every new crackdown produced temporary improvements before indiscipline returned.

Former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i launched another major operation against rogue matatus and boda bodas in 2018. Again, discipline briefly returned before fading away.

Today, critics argue that Kenya suffers not from a shortage of laws but from a shortage of enforcement.

Transport consultant Grace Muthoni believes agencies tasked with regulation have failed.

“The problem is not the lack of laws. The laws exist. What is missing is consistent enforcement. Every crackdown lasts a few months and then everything goes back to normal,” she says.

Much of the blame is now directed at NTSA, traffic police and Nairobi County marshals.

Road safety campaigners accuse authorities of tolerating widespread violations. 

They point to matatus operating on pedestrian walkways, illegal stages mushrooming across the city and blatant disregard for traffic regulations.

Corruption allegations have also repeatedly surfaced, with critics claiming rogue operators continue to evade punishment despite obvious violations.

The collapse of Nairobi’s planned Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system has further deepened frustrations.

The BRT project was envisioned as a game-changing solution that would modernise public transport and reduce congestion as dedicated lanes were set aside on major roads.

Commuters hoped for a predictable, safe and efficient transport network similar to systems operating in cities around the world.

Yet years later, the project remains largely unrealized, with the reserved lanes standing as a reminder of what might have been.

Instead of an integrated mass transit system, Nairobi continues to rely heavily on a fragmented matatu industry characterised by fierce competition, cartels and weak regulation.

Many urban planners believe the failure to implement BRT deprived Nairobi of an opportunity to fundamentally transform public transport.

Early last year, Nairobi County unveiled plans to reorganise more than 120 transport routes to reduce congestion and improve connectivity.

The reforms aimed to minimise the need for commuters to pass through the Central Business District (CBD) and promised improved termini, bus shelters and route management.

While experts welcomed the proposals, many argue that infrastructure reforms alone cannot solve the crisis without enforcement, adding that chaos will simply migrate to new routes