Female matatu conductors are decent, and like an elephant, 'they don’t forget'

You will not find them somersaulting on the doorframe of your regular matatu in an attempt to impress bored passengers returning home from work.

Also, you will not find them juggling between chewing muguka and engaging you – the esteemed client – in important discussions about the need for each Kenyan to dig their own oil well.

Most of them are not rude – but strict. Many of these women will frown at the driver for playing music videos exhibiting beautiful girls dressed in handkerchiefs.

Most importantly, they know how to give back change in time bearing in mind tough economic times.

You will not find them shouting the hiked fares in your tired face – and while smelling of yesterday’s liquor.

Many Public Service Vehicles (PSVs) are turning to women – and for a good reason.

At the moment – based on existing figures – women working in the transport business account for a meagre 10 per cent. There are over 100,000 matatus operating in Kenya – and only a handful have employed women as conductors. That’s because many think that the job requires people with tough skin.

A 2017 baseline findings on female operators and commuters by Flone Initiative, an organisation seeking to create safe spaces for women and girls in transport, indicated that 73 per cent of women in transport held the position of conductor. The remaining 27 per cent work in other positions such as clerks and stage attendants.

The girl child is fast gaining a foothold into this male-dominated business – and in the process injecting into its chaotic veins the much needed feminine touch.

It is high time different stakeholders in the public transport sector invite more women into the matatu sector to give it a soft and humane face.

According to the Ministry of Transport, over 60 per cent of Kenya's population use matatus as a mode of transport. This means that many people spend an average of two hours daily holed up in matatus – and listening to annoying music. Most of the time.

In many instances – passengers have to contend with over-travelled bedbugs and riotous conductors who will not hesitate to pump sense into your mango head at the slightest provocation.

There is no gainsaying the fact that matatu culture has gained prominence beyond Kenyan borders. A graffiti here – and another one there. That’s fine. However – what’s missing is proper customer care service and that’s because the industry has largely been associated with ‘crooked men’.

This is not to say that every matatu is bad, or that every male conductor is bad. No. In fact, many have learned to adhere to professionalism and a strict code of conduct.

What is needed now is to open up the space to allow more women into the sector – and it’s already happening.

An operator maintains that many matatu owners find it easy to work with women – especially young mothers – because they are good managers and fairly honest with collections.

Most importantly – they have very good memory – which is a major requirement in this kind of business where you have to learn to distinguish faces of genuine passengers and stowaways.