Greetings from Nairobi, where taking a matatu is no ordinary bus ride
TL;DR
In Nairobi, riding a matatu is an immersive experience filled with loud music and vibrant visuals. The buses feature multiple TV screens and colorful artwork, making each ride unique.
Key points
- Matatus are shared minibuses in Nairobi.
- They feature loud music and vibrant visuals.
- Artwork includes images of celebrities and politicians.
Emmanuel Igunza/NPR
Far-Flung Postcards is a weekly series in which NPR's international team shares moments from their lives and work around the world.
The moment you board the Onyx bus, the music grabs you.
Gospel, Gengetone, Afrobeats — competing at volumes that make conversation pointless. Eight TV screens flash music videos around the cockpit alone. 16 in total. Blue LEDs chase each other across the ceiling. Every surface is painted: footballers, rappers, politicians in wild chromatic detail.
I score the front seat, riding for about 30 minutes with Henry Muindi, the owner, from Nairobi's Central Business District out to Dandora in Eastlands. Onyx is new, and currently the most popular bus on the route because of its graffiti, music choice and the young crew. It's very lavish. Outside, a kid spots the bus and shouts. Henry beams.
"There is no Nairobi without nganya," he says, using Swahili slang for these blinged-out vehicles. "If you have not experienced this matatu culture — you should never say you are in Nairobi."
These privately owned minibuses are legally public transport. But over the past decade, they've become something else entirely — moving canvases, mobile sound systems, rolling declarations of what young Nairobi finds cool right now.
Riding one isn't commuting. It's being inside the city's pulse.
See more Far-Flung Postcards from around the world:
- Greetings from downtown Cairo, where unpretentious cafés are part of centuries-old charm
- Greetings from London, where a big COVID memorial holds vigil over the halls of power
- Greetings from Turkey's border with Iran, where Iranians let loose on the dance floor
- Greetings from Nyeri, Kenya, where grandmothers help coach the next generation
Q&A
What is a matatu in Nairobi?
A matatu is a shared minibus or taxi in Nairobi, known for its lively atmosphere and colorful decorations.
What kind of music is played on Nairobi's matatus?
Nairobi's matatus typically play genres like gospel, Gengetone, and Afrobeats at high volumes.
How are matatus decorated in Nairobi?
Matatus in Nairobi are often adorned with vibrant artwork, including images of footballers, rappers, and politicians.
