Matatu

A matatu is also more profitable when driven by its owner than by an employed driver, or if the employee-driver pays in all the earnings and the owner meets the operating costs, rather than when the owner demands a fixed sum of money daily, with the operator keeping the surplus.

For now, matatus made lanes along both sides of tarmac main roads and went over, around or through potholes depending on their speed.

Memories of their sense of trepidation, or even the anger, aboard a matatu could still be visceral.

The roads were jammed with matatu minibuses sporting cartoonish liveries, and trucks billowing black smoke into the dazzling African light.