We engage with them on daily basis as we go to work or any other destination as long as you use public means of transport. Many at times they have been accused of mistreating and mishandling their customers who are the commuters. Below is a list of some most common bad behaviours displayed by the matatu touts across the country;
• Vulgarity
They are known atleast a larger number to be talking in vulgar language to their customers not minding their age,religion and their moral backgrounds. There are some people who are okay with such vector of talking while some aren’t. You won’t be surprised to hear one belch out out loud,”mama weka matako vizuri watu wakae” such choices of words are demeaning and uncalled for.
• Mishandling and touching customers in inappropriate manners and places
This is so very much common at the bus stops,a group of the loud touts will approach and ambush you in the bid to convince you to their respective bus,here they will mishandle you as they engage in pull and pull amongst competing touts and yourself. Why engage a customer in your dirty games there should be a better way of luring one to choose your bus over the other apart from the pull pull style. Through this behaviour many have lost their belongings as pickpockets takes advantage of the tussle.
Touching in the inappropriate regions,this is much common with the female customers,the touts approach you in the bid to lure you into their respective bus but in the moments they often touch them in wrong places that would add upto a sexual harassment case. Many perverts have taken advantage of this to exploit their twisted fantasies.
• Greed
Have you realised the touts change their minds the moments you produce a bigger value currency? When he was calling out before you boarded it was sh.30 when he is collecting the fare and you produce a five hundred shillings note his minds changes and the fare for your case shoots to sh.50 with a stern face they stick it there. I’m sure if you use public transportation you at one point must have experienced this.
• Misleadingly naive customers
Because of their uncontrollable greed,they are never ready to leave any chance of making cents,this has led them into misguiding naive commuters. Example you are a new visitor in the city and you enquire if the bus can take you to certain point,they quickly agree and take you in while in reality the bus isn’t going not even close to your destination,after taking your money,they change mind on the way and start apologising for taking you on a wrong route. You are left stranded in the middle of nowhere,the case could be worse in the case its night. People have ended up in wrong hands and lost their valuables through this greed motivated move.
• Over packing the bus
They will exceed the set capacity the bus is meant to hold,very common with the 14seater plying the city routes. The common phrase of “watu wajipange wanne kama PK” could see a 14seater squeeze in passengers to carry 20 people contrary to the law,this often ends up in accidents as a result of over capacity.
• Hygiene
Though not all but many people have complained that the touts are never showing same enthusiasm they do on getting the customers on the hygiene side. Accusation have been that they never take showers ending up smelly with sweat causing great discomfort to the commuter as this people have close contacts with customers as they go around collecting money. As Octopizzo would say,get that mulla go take a shower sawa?
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