Kenyans reveal hate for ‘Nganyas’
Nganya is a Kenyan slang word used to describe highly pimped-out mass public service transportation vehicles such as mini-buses, that are normally referred to as matatus.
These matatus normally feature several bass speakers, neon lights, chromes in any color, graffiti artwork in and out of the vehicle, large and small screens for passengers to watch music videos and faux leather upholstery to match the pimp out.
These nganyas are also often driven recklessly by overhyped drivers who are distracted by several touts hanging out the open passengers’ door.
Think of a nganya as a mini bus that featured on Xzibit’s ‘Pimp My Ride’ show before it went off air in Kenya.
On Kenyan roads, especially at rush hours in the early mornings and late evenings, these nganyas compete for passengers rushing to and from work respectively. They compete with other large passenger vehicles that are calm, have no music or tinted windows; and have reputations for being relatively safer. At bus stops, you will find several nganyas waiting to transport passengers home but these potential customers would stand for hours if necessary and wait for the ‘normal’ PSVs to come and take them home. In most stops, you will find passengers queueing and waiting for these latter vehicles.
TikToker Joshua Gitenge caught such a phenomenon on video as he wondered why passengers hated nganyas and would rather stand for hours to wait for alternative transportation.
“This is the Kasarani stage at Imenti House. The matatu you are looking for is a metro trans. See how it is quickly filling up with passengers. Guys have waited for this bus for over thirty minutes. This here is a nganya. It has kept calling for passengers but no one is boarding. Mind you, if six more metro trans show up, they will fill up faster than this nganya. Simply because the others are organized and have streamlined their services.
They have manners and rules and this is the complete opposite of what a nganya is. The touts of these nganyas are rowdy. Sixteen touts at the door calling for passengers and they all smell like marijuana. They chew khat as they ask you for fare in the vehicle. It is just madness. They bore me,” said Mr Gitenge.
His viewers agreed with his sentiments as many gave their PSV experiences in his comment section:
“Wale tunapanga line super metro. Heri nifike home late but safe (For those of us who line up for super metro, I’d rather get him late but safe,” said Blessed Naomy.
“Ukweli sometimes umetoka job umechoka..you just wanna go home in a well organized quiet matatu..sio izo madness,” added Jerrae.
“Nganya shida ni they tell you 80 or 70 Ukifika kwa gari mdani they change their prices to 100 Alafu ukitaka change yako unatusiwa (The problem with ngangas is that they tell you the fare is Sh 80 or Sh 70 but when you enter the veicle, they change their prices to Sh 100. And then when you ask for your change, they begin insulting you),” said Sly Daveiour.
Other reasons listed for hating nganyas included vulgar touts and conductors, noisy vehicles with too loud music that affects people’s hearing, conductors disappearing with passengers’ fare balance and playing sexually explicit audios and videos among others.
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