Nandi Senator Kiprotich Cherargei has slammed the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) following the authority’s directive to ban graffiti on matatus, a move the senator has labelled.
The NTSA’s public notice, issued on 27 May 2025, aims to regulate Public Service Vehicles (PSVs). However, it has sparked a backlash over its impact on the matatu culture and the livelihoods of Kenyan youth.
“To ban matatu graffiti, which is an identity and a part of the matatu industry culture in Kenya, is retrogressive, backward, primitive, and illegal because it undermines freedom of expression, thought, art, and consciousness,” Senator Cherargei said in a statement on X, condemning the NTSA’s decision on Thursday, 29 May 2025.
The NTSA’s notice, titled ‘Regulatory Compliance by Public Transport Operators, Motor Vehicle Owners and PSV Drivers,’ outlines strict guidelines for PSVs. It mandates that the name of the Sacco or company operating the vehicle be displayed in letters no less than ten inches high, visible from 50 metres.
Safety and regulatory compliance
The authority also prohibits offensive decorations, including graffiti, and insists that no external or internal designs should affect the vehicle’s reflective properties or obscure its branding. Non-compliance, the NTSA warns, will result in immediate action, including the impounding of vehicles, suspension of licences, and the requirement of valid inspection certificates and PSV badges.
The NTSA defended its stance, stating that the regulations aim to enhance safety and accountability on Kenyan roads. It noted widespread non-compliance, particularly with graffiti and other modifications that obscure the identity of PSVs, making it difficult to enforce regulatory measures. The authority called on operators to comply swiftly, directing them to access services via its online portal or nearest offices for inspections and badge renewals.
Matatu graffiti, a practice dating back to the 1970s, has long been a cultural hallmark. The sector employs a lot of artists nationwide.
Kenneth Mwenda
Kenneth Mwenda is a digital writer with over five years of experience. He graduated in February 2022 with a Bachelor of Commerce in Finance from The Co-operative University of Kenya. He has written news and feature stories for platforms such as Construction Review Online, Sports Brief, Briefly News, and Criptonizando. In 2023, he completed a course in Digital Investigation Techniques with AFP. He joined K24 Digital in May 2025. For inquiries, he can be reached at [email protected].
