MATATU : A CURSED INDUSTRY?

May 2nd, 2009

The matatu industry  has contributed immensely to the development of the Kenyan economy due to the easing of the transport costs through affordability of the years. It has been a major factor as it has been the main mode of the transport of the years through which most of the public including business people and professionals and the general public use daily for commuting. It has also employed enormous number of people which has greatly aided in economic growth and alleviation of poverty and unemployment. However this critical sector is a monstrosity. Why?

 

This critical sector is the reservoir for indiscipline, corruption, drugs , social evils, and destruction of human life. Today if you quantify the loss to the economy and social costs to the country, this sector is akin to a bandit economy. The enormous destruction of life, pain and the casualties it creates is untenable. The insurance sub-sector has borne a huge brunt due to a largely corrupt and rogue trade. During the initial stages of the then NARC regime after the 2002 general election, there was hope that this sector will have some sanity, direction and adopt modern business practices after the then minister for transport Hon John Michuki introduced measures to sanitise the sector. These came to be renown as Michuki rules. Today this is history as in Kiswahili one would say ‘yale yaliyotendeka’. It is simply forgotten and buried under a cloud of inefficiency and neglect.

 

What is wrong with the matatu industry? The answer is everything. From indisciplined crew, inefficient systems, armed thievery, pickpockets,   derelict road networks, greed, corrupt management, cartels, gangs, everything that could go wrong has actually gone in this sub-sector. It is simply an evil jungle. Those few organised matatu companies that have tried to create sanity are barely surviving. Simply stating the neglect by the government on this critical transport sector is obviously evident. Dare any sane mind invest in it, it becomes the road to  metamorphose to a ruffian. First an entry to the system through brokers and those already in the trade could be extremely dangerous and connish. Many have been conned attempting to get into the trade some even being sold junks of vehicles which are past their useful life. The bottom-line is that the type of matatus imported second hand from Japan mostly Nissans and Toyotas have only a useful life of one year on Kenyan roads. So you can see how it is easy to profit from gullible  first time investors who end up being conned through exorbitant prices and  endlessly in otherwise connish garages and endless mechanical break –downs. In an upshot this industry is full of conmen. Period! It is rotten to the core and stinks to high heavens.

 

Besides the industry has spelt doom to many productive sectors. Woe to the insurance companies that ever dared take the risk of insuring matatus. Several have gone under and others barely surviving. So what is the solution? Why does the government allow this industry to thrive on chaos? Why does it ignore this critical industry which despite contributing immensely to the GDP of the country  is akin to a civil war through the destruction it makes to people and property? For how long can Kenya thrive on chaotic industries? Who will act?

 

Unless the government comes up with a clear policy and instills discipline losses will continue to scale up , social evils will thrive and this country destroyed by a  civil warlike industry. This is a corrupt myopic and directionless industry akin to the drug trade of Colombia and Mexico. It has strong  and corrupt cartels   networks and it has corrupted may government system especially  the police who look impotent to tame it. It looks un-stoppable. But the more it looks criminally un-stoppable with its recklessness, indiscipline, corruption, criminal like and with all manner of characters driving it from the lowest level to the top , the more the government looks impotent. It is simply un-tenable. Somebody must act. Where is  Hon John Michuki? But how many ministries will he man, and for how long? Where is the so called ‘disciplined’ police force. Where are the future leaders and those whom feel and  claim it is their time. There is something seriously wrong with Kenya. But who will cure it?

 

By Harrison   Mwirigi   Ikunda,

Nairobi. Kenya.