Uber Kenya no longer an exclusive boy’s club, she can get you there too

Uber Kenya went live in Nairobi in 2015. What followed shortly were wrangles with traditional taxi service drivers who sensed an imminent threat. They knew they would be phased out. Since Uber’s entry into the Kenyan market, the journey has not been smooth. However, with it came a revolution. We would no longer have to stand on a crowded sidewalk and signal a taxi. Some preferred to yell “Taxi!” We no longer have to do any of that. Hailing a cab got easier, convenient, and cheaper.

It came as no surprise that a majority of those who showed interest in becoming driver-partners were male. It was virtually an exclusive male club. This was expected. In any case, traditional taxi services had been dominated by men. Yes, there were women buying cars but a majority were handing them over to male drivers. Again, this was expected. However, a new crop of women emerged. These were ready to sit behind the wheel and get you to your desired destination.

This was commendable. It still is. These brave women are helping fight inequality and stereotypes since women have been labeled as poor drivers. Today, a woman trying to penetrate the male club is often looked with admiration. A little resistance from some people of course.

Often, when we request an Uber, we assume that a male will be behind the wheel. In rare cases, the driver will be female. Recently, I requested a cab and it turned out that the driver was female. This got me a little curious and excited. I asked a lot of questions: what got her interested in the job in the first place? How do men react when they realize their driver for the day is a she? What challenges does she face?

Janet (not her real name) admitted that she had been looking for a job for the entire 2014. When Uber was introduced, she hesitantly decided to try it out with her dad’s car. She admits that the experience has been good and bad. Some men are professional and genuinely excited to be driven by a female driver. Some, of course, cross the line or attempt to. She admits that since some customers are drunk, they may get a little inappropriate. She faces challenges faced by her male colleagues in addition to those that stem from the fact that she a female.

This reminded me of a story I read some time back. The story of Agnes Kinyua (published in the Daily Nation). In the story, she highlights some challenges that women taxi drivers face because of their gender. She talks about how she wears a hood so that no one will notice that she is a woman. She adds that she avoids stopping for too long or drive in secluded places. This speaks to the security situation in different cities across the country. Perhaps if the cities were safer, these brave women who venture into a male-dominated field will not have to worry about being attacked because they are women.

Yet, these challenges have not been a hindrance. However, efforts need to be directed towards making Uber safe for women drivers. Also, action needs to be taken against perpetrators of any kind of harassment.