Transportation in Msambweni

Msambweni junction is the place where most of the boda boda and matatus gather for their daily business. It is in a strategic position nearby Msambweni hospital and market, where the riders find many customers.
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The boda boda drivers normally rest in shadow under this big tree waiting for their customers. The passengers board and alight at the road junction. In Msambweni there is a District Hospital which is the biggest hospital in Kwale County. It’s a very busy place. There are shops nearby where travelers can buy what they urgently need.

A Boda boda rider named Seneta (in the red t-shirt) is an experienced motorbike rider. The Nice View Reporters did an interview with him.

Reporter: What is your name?
Rider: My name is Seneta (He did not want to disclose his real name).

Reporter: For how long have you been working as a Boda boda rider?
Rider: I have been doing this job for 2 years now.

Reporter: How many trips do you make approximately in a day to the junction and how much does it cost?
Rider: I make approximately 20 trips in a day and since it costs shs.50 per passenger, I make shs.1000.

Reporter: Are you self employed or who are you working for?
Rider: I am employed and I give back shs.350 to the owner of the motorbike everyday.

Reporter: Do you have a helmet and the reflectors for yourself and your passengers?
Rider: Yes I have, but its too hot to carry them with me (Laughs as he answers the question).

Reporter: What are the challenges you face as a Boda boda rider?
Rider: We get some customers who are sometimes dangerous at night and they end up harming us and steal the motorbikes. Sometimes we involve ourselves in accidents.

Reporter: What are the benefits?
Rider: Sometimes when it’s our lucky day we earn shs. 2500-3000 a day.

Reporter: Are you allowed by the government to carry more than two people?
Rider: I don’t, since the law states that we should not carry more than two passengers.

Reporter: Is there any order of sequence in your duty as Boda boda riders?
Rider: We don’t have a sequence. We believe in a saying that goes “The earliest bird catches the worm”.

Reporter: Thank you for your time and have a lovely day.
Rider: You are welcome.

Since the 1960s the matatus are transporting people around Kenya. Today there are more than 20,000 matatus on the road.

Wikipedia

Reporter: Good morning. What is your name?
Conductor: I am called Ali.

Reporter: When did you start your career?
Conductor: I start this job in the year 1993 when I was still a youth.

Reporter: Why do you like this job?
Conductor: This job has no stress.

Reporter: At what time do you wake up to start your job?
Conductor: I wake up at 5 a.m to start my job.

Reporter: How much does it cost from Msambweni hospital to the junction per passenger?
Conductor: It costs shs.30 per passenger.

Reporter: How many passengers do you carry per trip?
Conductor: We transport 14 passengers per trip.

Reporter: How many hours do you work per day?
Conductors: We work for 13 hours per day.

Reporter: How much do you pay to the owner of the matatu?

Conductor: I give back to the owner shs. 3000 per day.

Reporter: Do you still follow the rules that were introduced by the Government (Matiangi’s rule)
Conductor: Yes I do.

Reporter: Thank you for allowing us to question you. God bless you.
Conductor: Welcome and be blessed too.

The first day Nice View Reporters gathering information on road transport.