What many commuters experience daily on Kenya’s roads, from loud vehicle designs to unpredictable matatu behaviour, is not the real problem, according to National Transport and Safety Authority Director General Nashon Kondiwa, who says the issue runs much deeper than what is seen on the streets.
Speaking during a televised interview on Citizen TV on the night of Monday, June 15, 2026, Kondiwa said the public focus on graffiti, vehicle styling, and the so-called “nyoka nyoka” culture misses the bigger challenge affecting the transport system.
He said these visible features are only outcomes of a poorly structured industry that lacks proper organization and accountability.
“Graffiti, the nyoka nyoka, and the craziness we have in public transport are symptoms of the model we are operating,” Kondiwa said.
He argued that if operators were placed under stronger formal systems, many of the recurring issues would reduce without the need for constant debate on surface-level concerns.
“If you want to fight graffiti, get these operators to be organised into some formality, and then we will not even be discussing graffiti,” he stated.
Kondiwa further noted that even though disputes around matatu artwork have reached legal forums before, such arguments do not resolve the underlying structural gaps in the sector.
“For me, discussing graffiti is discussing the symptoms of a problem,” he added.
He also raised concerns about the lack of clarity in ownership within the public transport industry, saying regulators do not have full visibility of who actually controls or funds operations.
According to him, this makes it difficult to enforce accountability or trace responsibility when problems arise in the sector.
“There is no industry where the regulator does not know the investors in the sector,” he said.
“In the matatu industry, I don’t know. That is the first problem. I don’t know who the investors are; I don’t know where the money comes from. I don’t know whose interests they are running,” he added.
Kondiwa compared the situation to other regulated industries where ownership is clearly documented and easily traceable.
He also pointed to uncertainty over whether operators are making profits or losses, saying the sector operates in a way that limits financial transparency.
“Secondly, we don’t even know if the sector is making money or not,” he said.
He noted that frequent road accidents and losses of vehicles make the business highly unstable, adding pressure on operators who may lose assets unexpectedly.
“A good operator today will tomorrow not have a bus as a result of the alarming rate of accidents.”
His remarks come as NTSA continues tightening enforcement in the public transport sector, following recent action against operators linked to safety lapses.
This includes the revocation of the Public Transport Operator licence of Nicco Movers 1 Sacco on June 12, 2026 after the death of a 19-year-old KMTC student, Eugene Mutuku, along Thika Road.
NTSA said the decision was part of ongoing investigations and safety compliance checks, with authorities also directing that vehicles linked to the Sacco be impounded despite the licence cancellation.
The authority further said a review of the Sacco revealed weak fleet control and poor safety systems that placed passengers and other road users at risk.