According to data from the National Transport and Safety Authority, there are over 700 registered matatu saccos in Kenya serving more than 80,000 vehicles.
In its mandate to bring sanity on Kenyan roads NTSA demanded tha all matatus mus be operated under a sacco or under a limited company.
The largest saccos include 2NK Sacco, Matatu Owners of Mombasa Sacco, and Nairobi’s Embassava Sacco.
As of 2019 before the transport industry was disrupted by the pandemic, the matatu sector had a turnover of Sh400 billion per annum.
2NK which plies routes in the Mt Kenya region, Nairobi and parts of Rift Valley is the largest sacco whose primary vehicles are 14 seater matatus is ran by its CEO Anne Nyawira and Chairman James Kahiro.
Nyawira is one of the few women in the matatu industry which is regarded as a male dominated business due to the chaos and disorder that plagues the industry.
According the sacco’s management, the name 2NK was made up of the sacco’s initial route; Nyeri, Nairobi and Karatina.
What started as a sacco with 30 members now has about 800 matatus and an asset base of Sh240 million.
Nyawira explained in a recent interview that to join, one is required to have a new matatu with the latest registration number.
“The first requirement is to have a new matatu (Toyota Hiace), the latest registration number or the immediate previous number because we understand delaying in registration. One person can own up to seven matatus according to the by-laws,” she explained.
The running of the sacco is structured such that drivers don’t have conductors and don’t handle cash.
Drivers are required to pick a delivery note with details of the trip and passengers which they deliver to their next destination. Drivers and owners are paid at the end of the month just like formal employment.
Other than individually owned vehicles, the sacco also buys its own vans to increase its revenue.
The company also allows members who are not matatu owners to join and save money through its front office service.
Peter a matatu owner said that the sacco has helped him build rental apartments in Karatina which he has used to educate his children.
Other than passenger transport, Nyawira says that the sacco has ventured into parcel delivery, insurance and the fuel business with petrol stations in Nyeri, Nairobi and Karatina.