Shocking Truth! “The Matatu Industry Pays More Than White Collar Jobs”

By Jane Okoth,

Peter Mwega is a Social Worker at a local N.G.O operating in the country. He reports to work at 8.00am and leaves at 4.30 pm.

But peter is not yet done for the day as he approaches his hometown in Nairobi’s Buruburu estate.

This is because he will later commence his second job as a matatu tout in Buruburu area at around 7.00pm in the evening till 12.00midnight.

“Lazima nishikilie squad ndio siku ishe (I have to fill in as a tout before the day ends)

A conversation with peter will give you an in-depth routine of his daily life.

“I make 1000 shillings every night . My salary as a social worker is barely enough to sustain me which explains my reason for side hustling” he says.

The following day he is back to his professional job and will resume his side hustle later in the day.

It has been an ongoing debate for a long time that matatu operators do reap big from their occupation than white collar jobs.

While the educated youth will rather look for a “nice” job with salaries, pensions and medical insurance immediately after completing school, someone in the matatu business is claiming to laugh all the way to the bank.

The idea of working in an informal sector has never crossed the mind of an educated youth.

How true is this claim and does it mean that the informal sector is the way to go?

“Our job has unimaginable benefits,” says Chris Njuguna a matatu tout operating in Nairobi’s Eastlands area.

“We enjoy our freedom because we have nobody monitoring us or showing us how to do our work. We also have the freedom to adapt to new weather changes (hiking of fares to their advantage) as well as the freedom to avoid someone being on your neck,” he says with a smile.

“I wish venturing into the business was that easy for someone in my profession, says Abel Omondi, a Diploma holder in Engineering a Technical Institution in the country.

“My main worry is that my parents will think that I have let them down and I am afraid of facing stigmatization in the community,”

“Can you imagine a whole engineer being reduced to the size of a tout?” he asks.

“I’d rather do a job that has maximum benefits in the end than one which overwhelms me,” argues Vincent Nyongesa, a Security Officer at a multinational company in the country.

“People view this job as one which does not have dignity but I would not mind it at all,” argues Chris Njuguna.

Vincent goes on by saying “Never ever will I dream of becoming a makanga. What is the point of making that kind of money yet you don’t seem to utilize it.”

“As far I am concerned, there is no evidence of these people earning more than us in white collar jobs,” he opines.

Abel still says that “Every job has its own shortcomings and challenges so we cannot afford to compare the two.”

What are your views on this?

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