My experience riding in a Uber Taxi in Nairobi

I remember the tea-time discussion we had with my friend at work when he heard news that Uber was launching in Kenya.

“I swear, Uber is going to fail. Kenya is not like U.S. or South Africa where people would use an app to call a Taxi,” those were exactly my words. After having the Uber experience on Wednesday, I was forced to eat a humble pie and admit that I was terribly wrong. This is an account of my experience riding in a Uber Taxi in Nairobi.

My experience with Uber was rather by accident than plan. After my friend sent me an invite to download and try out the app, the temptation of getting a free ride on Uber is what even made me think about trying it out. Furthermore, it just so happened that I was taking my wife out for a date, and who would turn down a free taxi ride to an “undisclosed” location with my date.

So Wednesday morning, after our preparation, I take out my phone and launch Uber app, set up my Pick up location, then request for a pick up. After about 2 minutes, I get a call from one Wakesi* (Not his real name), informing me that he’s received my request and is on his way to come pick me up from my location.

After about 14 minutes of waiting, the taxi was there, just waiting for me to hop in with my date. We had a quiet ride, not sure of how to approach the subject of paying fare since I knew I was on a free ride, courtesy of Uber. The tension eased out in a couple of minutes, and we got busy chatting with the taxi driver.

Upon arriving at our destination, I was much relieved, after the taxi driver informed us that we were okay to go, since our bill was already settled. We had fun where we went and the reverse journey was exactly the same, in a Uber taxi again, but this time round using the free ride on my partner’s account.

Why you should use Uber
Uber is changing people’s lives in Kenya, doing things we never imagined were possible. Courtesy of Uber, every Kenyan has his private taxi, just seconds/minutes away. Also, unlike the old ways where one has to call his/her cab driver and wait for them to come all the way from wherever he is, Uber allows you to contact the Taxi closest to you, hence time saving.

Also, since the taxi owners participating in the Uber community are vetted first before being enrolled, it provides a more secure option as compared to the traditional taxis. In case you are worried about the cost, put your worries down, because from my experience, they look even cheaper as compared to the other taxis.