We interact with matatu touts and conductors daily, especially when maneuvering through the CBD. Seeing them is inevitable especially if you don't have a personal vehicle.
These are the guys that let you know where you are going and how much you will pay as you get into a matatu.
Of course, they are a great asset in the transportation industry, but we can’t ignore the fact that once in a while they get on our nerves and sometimes just change the mood of our day.
It’s very funny how it’s so easy for them to do the most annoying things without even trying. If you haven’t experienced some of the things below then you are one lucky individual:
1. Forcefully pulling you to get in the matatu.
Sometimes you might just be walking around town calmly and suddenly turn into a tug of war by the matatu conductors or touts. They are clearly strangers to the term customer service and more interested in their selfish gains.
I won’t deny the fact that we are all trying to make that dollar every minute of the day but it should not be at the expense of your customer’s peace.
2. Lying about a stop that he or she obviously knows they might not make.
Please allow me to make this as personal as possible.
Fine, the world is rough, I don’t deny that. Either way, lying to an innocent customer about a stop not even considering the fact that she asked for the obvious fact that she is not a commoner in that area.
This is one of the most devastating situations because they end up dropping you off at a distance where you might have to walk for a while or even spend extra money on a motorbike or as we the locals call it, a nduthi.
3. Lying about the seats available in the matatu.
Just to make that extra fee which is obviously not even his right just to be honest. This commonly happens in these small matatus. They always want to put you on the seat meant for them so that they can squeeze you or squeeze the person in the next seat before that. This even makes you feel like paying half because truth be told you were not sited at your comfort.
4. Having their hands all over you; Ladies are no strangers to this heinous act.
Yes I called it heinous because recovering from inappropriate physical contact is a struggle. Most of them want to have their hands around you and trust me that is not a pleasant experience. Another painful truth is that they suffocate you with their unpleasant smells.
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