With the chaotic transport system in Kenya, Nairobi residents are seriously taking up a new concept that allows people to reach work earlier, and affordably.
Carpooling is a new concept in Nairobi that is steadily gaining currency in the city’s residential areas.
In Kahawa Sukari, one Timothy Odhiambo says he began the carpooling idea in 2018 after seeing quite a number of passengers stranded at bus stops while his car was running empty to work.
It is at this point, he says, that he began ferrying three passengers every morning to work in his car.
“I pick up passengers daily on my way to town for business. I do it out of kindness,” Mr Odhiambo insists, “The Sh50 they pay as fare does not make much financial sense to me.”
While he admits that this practice should be picked by many more people in order to sanitize the matatu industry.
Even as the residents try to embrace this new practice, some remain apprehensive on the dangers that lurk in carpooling.
Issues have been raised about the risks of carjacking and abduction.
Regular people going towards the same direction could form a WhatsApp group and coordinate their travels.
If this happens, you may find yourself stranded in a Matatu alone in the next few months as a majority of passengers use carpooling.
Ms Nancy Njeri, the Transport Planning Manager at the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy says carpooling is a system the government should embrace and support.
She, however, notes the Traffic Act prohibits private cars from ferrying passengers.
This, in her view, is prohibitive, and partly forms the reason why the practice has not picked up.