Livelihood, conditions of work, regulation and road safety in the small-scale public transport sector: a case of the matatu mode of transport in Kenya

摘要

The matatu, a small-scale public transport vehicle in Kenya, is vital in both rural and urban areas for the movement of people and goods. This paper examines the struggle for livelihood in the matatu industry and the resultant problems of conditions of work, regulation and road safety. The results reveal that there are many financial expectations by a wide range of stakeholders in the matatu industry. This has led to unsatisfactory and extremely difficult conditions of work for matatu workers. Regulation of the sector is also a contested field of competing socio-economic interests. The resultant involvement of the matatu in road crashes has to be seen against this background: the struggle for livelihood by a wide range of stakeholders, extremely difficult working conditions and a hotly contested field of control. The overall recommendation is that the Government of Kenya alone cannot tackle the problem of road traffic injuries associated with the matatu. Passengers, vehicle owners, policemen, insurance firms, banks, vehicle importers and the travelling passengers have a role to play in improving road safety in the matatu industry.