We are not a bunch of idiots- Graduates in matatu sector speak

While many youths in the country shy away from blue-collar jobs, which involve hard manual labour, some graduates have since embraced some of the disregarded jobs such as touting and commercial driving.

After completing their university education, many youths have their minds fixated on white-collar jobs, a dream that doesn't come to fruition.

Most youths disregard manual jobs, especially the graduates, even as youth unemployment has sharply risen to 706,859 (5.96 per cent) for those aged 20-34.

According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), in the first three months of the pandemic, more than 1.7 million Kenyans lost their jobs.

An estimated 735,711 Kenyan youths were unemployed between January and March 2020, in the same period.

KNBS data showed that youths between ages 20 and 24 made the highest number of those out of the job market at 241,728 during the period. 

And some 228,466 youths aged between 25-29 were also without work during the quarter.

But even with these statistics, some graduates think the manual jobs are not decent and are supposed to be for the school dropouts.

However, Peter Karanja, a former student of Masinde Muliro University, found a home in the matatu industry.

He is a driver of the Super Metro bus which operates within Nairobi.

He graduated in 2006 with a Bachelor’s of Commerce, finance option and Certified Public Accounts.

He said he lost his job in one of the hospitality industries as an accountant during the Covid-19 pandemic period.

Since he had a young family looking up to him, he opted to take up a driving job at Super Metro so that he could fend for his family.

“I earn a clean salary. I can tell young lads and the university graduates to avoid shying away from this job because it pays well,” Karanja said.

"What one needs to do is to avoid being lazy because we wake up very early in the morning and retire to bed very late at night," he added.

He says his employer also pays for his NHIF and NSSF benefits. "And the more you work, the more you earn more money.” 

"Both genders are working in this industry. We also have lawyers and teachers in this matatu industry," he said.

He noted that the interview at the company he is working for is thorough because the company wants the best drivers and conductors so that its reputation is not tainted.

“The interview that I went through after applying for this job was not as easy as you would think. This job is not for school dropouts, it is a tough one,” Karanja said.

Isaiah Kodek, a conductor, is happy working in the matatu industry because he earns a living from it.

In an interview, he told the Star that he is an experienced sales and marketing expert with a Diploma in Sales and Marketing.

Kodek said that he was not making enough money when he had the sales and marketing job and that is why he opted to drop that job and joined the matatu industry.

Further, he said that the company he works for pays him so well and that in a day, he takes home not less than Sh1,500.

He said that he is able to provide for his family's needs and even manages to pay school fees for his two daughters who are currently enrolled in private schools.

"You can make a killing out of this job as long as you are devoted to it," Kodek said.

Peninah, a conductor, said that she is a trained beautician. She said after working in the beauty industry for some years, she felt the need to quit because her meagre income could not cater for her needs fully.

Further, she said she is happy and content with the salary she earns at the matatu company that she is currently working for.

Even with the stiff competition which always leads to conflicts, quarrels and fights with male touts, she says she has no regrets about choosing the profession.

“It's a well-paying job as long as you are dedicated. We have unpaid off days every week. This job is not for the school dropouts, everyone can do it,” she said.

For the last five years, she has worked as a conductor and she said she is able to pay for all her bills and also pay school fees for her two daughters, one in primary school and the other one in secondary school.

Peninah urged ladies who are currently unemployed to join the matatu industry and avoid being choosy when it comes to jobs.

And with the Covid-19 period where many were rendered jobless, the industry was also affected. Following the social distancing mandate, the crew had to reduce the number of passengers by half. 

A 14-seater matatu was allowed to carry eight passengers as per the government’s one-metre distance guideline and the curfews from 9 pm to 4 am also cut into the bus operating hours.

Matatu drivers and touts often start their shifts as early as 4 am and finish as late as midnight. Many of them work almost twice as long as the average office worker yet get paid less than the average officer they transport to and from work every day.

According to the crew, they spend long hours on the road braving traffic jams, corrupt traffic police officers and extortionist gangs. Although some of them are enablers of traffic jams, corruption and extortion, many are hardworking Kenyans whose only goal is to earn a decent living.

For matatu owners, the business can be brisk. One can make between Sh6,000 and Sh10,000 after fuelling for the next day and paying the crew. This translates to up to Sh250,000 per month if you factor in days off for the crew.

Matatus are categorised into six classes. Class I are 14 seaters, Class II are minibuses for 15 to 25 passengers, and Class III are also minibuses ferrying 25 to 40 passengers.

Class IV are buses with a capacity of 40; Class V (urban buses with 40-passenger capacity) while Class VI are double-decker buses ferrying more than 40 passengers. 

The higher the capacity, the more one is likely to spend on buying the bus. The cost can also vary based on whether it's a brand new, used or imported second-hand vehicle.

And even with high employment rates, the government has been making efforts to ensure that there are enough technical and vocational training institutions in the country for youths to join and gain technical skills.

In 2021, the government had plans to recruit 3,000 trainers to address the shortage in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions.

The number of TVETs in the country increased from 52 in 2013 to 238 in 2021.

TVETs PS Margaret Mwakima in an earlier statement said apart from equipping institutions, the Ministry of Education is committed to providing human and capital resources to ensure smooth operations.

Mwakima said the government is modernizing and expanding TVETs to meet human resource needs as well as growing industrial needs.

Edited by  Mercy Asamba