The Nairobi ‘matatu’ industry is notorious for its unforgiving chaos. It is a scene of theatrics, sometimes life-threatening, where passengers are often left to their own devices amid the ‘vrooming’ turbulence.
Barely a month ago, a passenger riding a Super Metro ‘matatu’ tragically died after allegedly being pushed from the moving vehicle. However, in a complete contrast to this tragic incident, a Friday evening act by a matatu crew saved a woman’s life after a near death experience. She lived to tell the story. One moment, she was riding home; the next, she gained consciousness in a medical emergency bed, with the ‘matatu’ tout standing by her side like the Biblical Good Samaritan.
“I am happy that people still have humanity. Strangers who took it upon themselves to help me without any payment—it is true good people still exist,” said Viola Nekesa, reflecting on the matatu crew selfless rescue when her health failed.
For her, what began as a regular ride through Nairobi’s bustling streets turned into a life-saving mission. While aboard a popular ‘matatu’ named Audiophile, linked to the Expresso Sacco, she suddenly found herself in a medical emergency.
Nekesa took to social media to thank the driver and all the crew members who stepped up to assist her.
The mother of two young boys, aged two and five, was set to travel the following day up country. Grateful, she says she cannot imagine what would have happened if the situation had occurred while she was on her way to her rural home.
“If I had been travelling up country at night and the health emergency occurred in the middle of nowhere, with no hospitals nearby, I would have died,” says Nekesa, in her late twenties.
On the fateful day, Nekesa left her workplace and headed to the bus stop. She felt a little unwell but didn’t anticipate the situation worsening. She then boarded the Audiophile Expresso matatu heading to Rongai and secured a seat next to the door.
The matatu, operating on the Ongata-Rongai to CBD route, is famously known for its graffiti, blaring music, and tinted windows, picked up passengers from Nairobi CBD as usual, including Nekesa, who in her mind planned to seek medical attention once she reached her destination.
The journey started like any other, with music booming through the speakers and the driver navigating through Nairobi’s chaotic traffic. But when they reached Nyayo Stadium roundabout, Nekesa, realised all was not well.
“I started sweating abnormally and asked the touts, standing at the door, to move and let some fresh air into the bus. I opened the window, but as the journey continued, my condition worsened,” Nekesa recalled.
“My body started shaking. I couldn’t even hold my phone. I tried reaching for my water bottle for a sip, but I grew weaker with each passing minute. I became short of breath and started experiencing breathing complications.” She asked the woman sitting next to her to contact her mother and also alerted one of the touts about how she was feeling.
According to Nekesa, the tout, whose name she gave as Telvin, immediately alerted the driver, Benson Kanaa.
“My attention was drawn to the situation when the conductor signaled me to stop at a place where buses are not designated to stop. I looked through the bus’s CCTV camera and noticed something unusual, so I decided to switch off the radio and slow down,” Kanaa said during an interview.
“We are all human, and there’s always a soft side in everyone, regardless of who they are. My crew and I have a passion for helping others,” said the driver. Kanaa, along with his touts, took it upon themselves to change the route and head to the nearest medical facility, Nairobi West Hospital, to save Nekesa’s life. Upon arrival, they helped her into the facility, where she was rushed to the emergency section. She was stabilized, and several tests revealed that she had pneumonia.
The matatu resumed its usual operations, though Telvin, stayed behind to follow up with Nekesa, reaching out to her family and relatives.
Stay informed. Subscribe to our newsletter
While expressing her gratitude to the crew members and passengers, Nekesa said she was deeply thankful that her life was saved.
