Matatu

Drive the streets of Nairobi and you are sure to see many matatus colorful minibuses that transport huge numbers of people around the city. Once ramshackle affairs held together with duct tape and wire, matatus today are name-brand vehicles maxed out with aftermarket detailing. They can be stately black or come in extravagant colors, sporting names, slogans, or entire tableaus, with airbrushed portraits of everyone from Kanye West to Barack Obama, of athletes, movie stars, or the most famous face of all: Jesus Christ. In this richly interdisciplinary book, Kenda Mutongi explores the history of the matatu from the 1960s to the present. As Mutongi shows, matatus offer a window onto many socioeconomic and political facets of late-twentieth-century Africa. In their diversity of idiosyncratic designs they express multiple and divergent aspects of Kenyan life including rapid urbanization, organized crime, entrepreneurship, social insecurity, the transition to democracy, chaos and congestion, popular culture, and many others at once embodying both Kenya's staggering social problems and the bright promises of its future. Offering a shining model of interdisciplinary analysis, Mutongi mixes historical, ethnographic, literary, linguistic, and economic approaches to tell the story of the matatu as a powerful expression of the entrepreneurial aesthetics of the postcolonial world.

Focuses on the lives and labour of the men and women who work in Nairobi's publicly operated, privately owned minibus taxis, matatu. How can mass transit systems be designed in ways that respond to the needs of urban citizens in the midst of an impending climate crisis? What strategies can transport workers employ as they adapt to shifts in the global economy? This book focuses on the lives and labour of the men - and, importantly, women - who work in Nairobi's publicly operated, privately owned minibus taxis, matatu, to examine questions about access to urban public space, gendered regimes of work, and neoliberalism that lie at the heart of debates on the future of African cities. Providing an in-depth view of workers' routines and the unwritten rules that govern informal transport sectors, this book is an ethnography of Nairobi's popular transportation workforce, with a focus on strategies that circulate both economic (cash, vehicle investments) and symbolic capital (new linguistic codes, music, and elements of style) in ways that keep the city moving. In the face of a rapidly changing urban and global landscapes Matatu Work considers the ways in which urban transport has provided expression of marginalized perspectives as well as decolonial struggles. Shedding new light on transportation practices and urban growth, the book invites the reader to take another look at the ways in which public transportation is not just an urban solution to practical problems of space and movement, but also how it is a place of sociability, performance, protest, and consumption and central to the making of sustainable cities.

Do you know why dogs always chase after the matatus? Kioko had been watching the matatus come and go for as long as he could remember. But today, for his fifth birthday, he climbs aboard one with his grandfather. As the matatu pulls away from the market, the village dogs chase after them. When Kioko asks his grandfather why the dogs always bark and chase after matatus, his grandfather tells him an entertaining tale about a dog, a goat and a sheep. Set in East Africa, The Matatu is a colorful story filled with many unexpected turns and twists along the way.

The Rough Guide to Kenya is the ultimate guide to East Africa's best-known destination. Features include: a full-colour section introducing Kenya's highlights; practical advice on getting the most out of Kenya, from the well-known safari parks to the little known reserves, and the highlands, lakes and deserts to downtown Nairobi and the Indian Ocean; detailed reviews of accommodation and eating options to suit every taste and budget, including luxury lodges and local restaurants; candid coverage of Kenya's history, politics, culture and environment; and maps and plans for every region.

Matatu za Jogoo Road" takes readers on a colorful journey through Kenya's urban soul. From their origins as rural transport vehicles to their vibrant presence on matatus in Nairobi, matatus are more than just modes of transportation they are cultural icons. With engaging storytelling and vivid descriptions, this book explores the rich history, dynamic art, and communal spirit of matatus, offering a captivating glimpse into the heart of Kenya's urban life. Whether you're a commuter, traveler, or cultural enthusiast, "Matatu za Jogoo Road" offers an immersive experience into the world of Kenya's iconic matatus.

Small and micro enterprises have been an important theme in development thinking since 1950s, yet for a variety of reasons East African governments and administrations have been sceptical about their role in their own countries' development. While many constraints have been lifted by the more liberal policies of the 1990s, many micro entrepreneurs and their labourers, primarily women, are still fighting for an enlarged social space. The papers in this book describe these strategies of negotiation between rural micro enterprises and the new liberalised rural economy.