The unpleasant side of matatu rides in Nakuru city
An Ariel view of Mashambani stage in Nakuru City.
Matatus are one of the most common modes of transport in Nakuru county.
But as common as they are, so are the uncomfortable moments most of us may have experienced while using them.
I first spoke with Valentine Zablon, a Kiamunyi resident who shared, “As an introvert, I get really uncomfortable when the passenger next to me starts conversing with me unprovoked and just keeps going with some of them even opening up about their personal issues.”
Valentine Zablon, Kiamunyi resident.
She notes that these days, she can’t board a matatu without having her earphones on.
“I’d rather wear earphones that are spoilt while in a mat to minimize interactions and at times even go as a far as pretending I’m asleep,” she laughs while sharing.
Another Nakuru resident, Fred Johns shares, “My unpleasant experience is sitting on a sambaza while in a matatu. I am a tall man so it’s already a struggle to squeeze myself into a matatu let alone sit on a sambaza. This is actually very common in Ngata and Njoro matatus that tend to make four to five people ‘sit’ on three chairs with the help of a sambaza.”
Meanwhile Shabab resident, Cynthia Ndeta shares that the most ‘uncomfortable’ matatu moment that takes the cup for her is the touchy-feely men that have lack of respect for personal space.
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Cynthia Ndeta, a resident in Nakuru.
Cynthia narrates, “My most recent uncomfortable mathree moment was when an old man next to me kept groping me under the guise ‘nilikuwa tu nikistretch.’ After that unpleasant encounter, I always make sure to sit next to a lady for my own safety.”
While speaking to business person, John Kuria, he shared that his uncomfortable moments have been hilarious ones sharing, “One of them was when a matatu passenger was bold enough to tell me, “usiturn page bado sijamaliza kusoma” as I was turning the page for a newspaper I was reading.”
The London resident additionally highlights, "It's also really uncomfortable when a mother traveling with their toddler lets them step on the matatu seats with some children even climbing all over other passengers with some even pulling on your hair and clinging onto your belongings."
The last Nakuru resident I spoke to was university student, Walter Thuo who shared that his ‘weird’ matatu moment was when he was eating some fries in a mat and a mother with a kid next to him told the kid ‘Enda ukule chips na uncle.’
He additionally shares, “It’s also really uncomfortable when someone sitting next to you coughs or sneezes without covering their mouth. Or when someone gets into the mat with what I call ‘teargas armpits’ and they refuse to open the window for some fresh air.”