Anastacia Wamuyu: Why I Became a Matatu Driver Despite Graduating With a Diploma

In Nairobi’s matatu industry, a world of roaring engines, shouted stage calls, and fierce competition for passengers, women are rare behind the wheel. But on the busy CBD–Waiyaki Way route, one woman is quietly defying that norm.

Her name is Anastacia Wamuyu, and she is one of only two female drivers navigating this high-traffic corridor. A single mother of two, she is not just steering her matatu through Nairobi’s streets; she is steering her life toward stability, independence, and a dream of owning her own fleet.

From Diploma to Driver’s Seat

Wamuyu’s story begins far from the chaos of matatu stages. She graduated with a Diploma in Marketing Management and holds a certificate in Tourism and Marketing Promotion. Life seemed set for an office or travel industry career.

Instead, she became a housewife until her marriage ended, leaving her as the sole provider for her two children.

“I was a housewife and had a small Nissan Note. When my marriage ended, I became a single mother and had to use my car as a taxi,” she says.

She later worked as a school driver, but the income disappointed her. “I happened not to earn as well as I expected, and so I ventured into Tourism. While looking for a job, I found one as a driver picking people from the airport and taking them to places likethe  Masai Mara, Nanyuki, the National Park, and animal orphanages.”

Tourism brought adventure, but her pay was commission-based and too inconsistent to raise a family. That is when she turned to a matatu Sacco.

“Here, the income is frequent,” she told Money254 in an interview.

Life Behind the Wheel

Wamuyu’s alarm rings at 5:00 a.m. and by 6:00 a.m., she is at the terminal read to start her workday which stretches until 7:00 p.m. or 8:00 p.m., driving a 14-seater matatu that, on a normal day, fetches Ksh13,000.

According to her, drivers and conductors end up with at least Ksh2,000 each in income from the day’s haul but earnings can be affected by the type of the vehicle in use.

• Manual matatu: Here, the owner takes Ksh3,000, fuel costs Ksh5,000, leaving Ksh5,000, which is split Ksh2,500 each for her and the tout.
  
• Automatic matatu: Same Ksh13,000 in earnings, but fuel costs Ksh6,000, leaving Ksh4,000 split Ksh2,000 each.

Other daily expenses she and her tout have to factor in include Ksh200 for a wash, and Ksh20 per trip for the junior stage marshal. Additionally, all drivers within her Sacco benefit from allowances of Ksh100 breakfast, Ksh200 lunch, and Ksh100 evening tea, excluded from their daily income

“The money is divided equally between the conductor and the driver because the tout cannot earn more than the driver,” she explains, noting that the job handed her a lifeline in the eye of despair.

“What I love about this industry is that it is like you have employed yourself,” Wamuyu says. “It is not tiring, and you get off days. I can hand over the vehicle to another driver when I feel tired.”

She is particularly fond of 14-seaters because they consume less fuel, fill up faster than buses, and make more trips, translating to better daily returns.

The Bumps and Benefits of the Road

The job isn't without its challenges. Anastacia points out that unforeseen expenses beyond fuel can eat into the day's profit. Furthermore, being a woman in a male-dominated field comes with its own set of hurdles.

"There are many toxic (male) drivers in the matatu industry playing unfair games of skipping matatu queues at the checkout lane while picking and dropping passengers," she reveals.

Despite the bullying, there's a silver lining: pay is based purely on performance, so there's no gender pay gap. The more you work, the more you earn. The benefits, she feels, outweigh the challenges.

Her Goal: From Driver to Owner

"In the future, I aspire to buy 3 or 4 matatus, especially 14-seater versions, because they do not consume a lot of fuel," she shares with a clear vision. "A 14-seater matatu makes a lot of money because the more trips, the more it earns. Also, it fills quickly than a bus, meaning it makes more trips, translating to more returns."

Her experience as a driver has given her the exact financial literacy needed to make a smart investment when the time comes.

For other women hesitating to enter unconventional fields, Anastacia’s message is simple and powerful.

"My advice is they should come. It is favourable here and your children cannot sleep hungry when you work as a driver."