This archive report was first published on 15 July 2019.
On July 15, 2019, taxi drivers in Kenya staged a mass protest in Nairobi over poor working conditions.
The drivers, affiliated with Uber, Taxify, and other digital taxi operators, were demanding better working terms, a sustainable business model, and the introduction of online taxi regulations.
According to a letter to Transport CS James Macharia and Nairobi county government on July 11, 2019, the drivers claimed that the digital taxi app companies had failed to honour a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed in June 2018.
"We are sad to report that nothing substantial has come out of the MOU to date because the digital taxi app companies never honoured the deal citing diverse excuses," the letter stated.
The drivers vowed to continue with the go-slow until their issues are addressed as per the MoU.
As a result of the protest, commuters were forced to look for alternative means of transport.
