For decades, Kenya’s transport industry has largely been viewed as a man’s domain – from matatu (vans used as public service vehicles) conductors and touts competing for travellers to various destinations at busy stages to PSV drivers navigating chaotic highways and tuk-tuk operators working long hours into the night.

But across Kiambu County, a growing number of women – in particular mothers – are steadily redefining the narrative. They want to be at the centre of the story.

Driven by rising living costs, unemployment and the responsibility of providing for their families, women are increasingly joining the transport sector for jobs that were once considered socially unsuitable for them. Many are single mothers balancing long working hours, insecurity, and public scrutiny while raising children and keeping households afloat.

For Margaret Wanjiku, a conductor with Kiwaliru Sacco, survival and motherhood are what pushed her into the matatu sector. By 5 am every morning, the single mother is always awake in her home in Kambaa, Githunguri, preparing her child for school before heading to Kikuyu town where she begins her shift as a PSV conductor.

She has worked in the industry for one year. Margaret says her family initially resisted the idea of her joining the industry, fearing harassment and exploitation by male colleagues and passengers.

“My sister told me men would take advantage of me but I followed my heart because I knew what I wanted,” she recalls.

Her daily work involves having to taken in insults by passengers, stage levies and constant advances by male customers pestering her for her cell-phone number. That notwithstanding, she says the work has enabled her to pay school fees and support her mother financially.

At Kiambu Town stage, Diana Mbayachi manoeuvres her tuk-tuk (rickshaw) through busy streets from morning to evening. For the young woman, the attraction to the sector was simple: reliable daily income.

“This job is daily pay work. The more trips you make, the more money you earn, so it becomes easier to cover expenses,” Mbayachi says.

Diana works with Picking and Dropping Mobile Taxis Sacco and has been in the industry for over two years. While she is not a mother biologically, she supports her sister’s education.

The work comes with its fair share of challenges, particularly insecurity and sexual harassment.

“As a woman, you fear working late because of potential risks of kidnapping by criminals and rudee and defiant passengers,” she explains.

Despite this, she says women should not be discouraged from joining the sector.

“Your future is determined by what you do now. Work hard and do not give up,” she says

For Winnie Njeri Mwangi, a conductor with Kaka Travelers Sacco and a single mother of two sons, transport work has become the backbone of her family’s survival for the past five years.

“There were limited jobs I could fit into, and I realised I could work as a conductor,” she says.

Her workday begins at 5 am and often ends late in the evening, forcing her to rely on neighbours and friends to occasionally help with household chores and childcare.

“Sometimes I come home and find my children already asleep,” she says.

Winnie says intimidation from male colleagues and insults directed at women remain among the biggest challenges in the industry. However, seeing her children healthy and in school keeps her motivated.

At the Sacco level, some operators say they are putting in place measures to encourage more women into transport work. Gabriel Kimani, a manager at Kiwaliru Sacco, says the Sacco has waived joining fees for women to encourage recruitment.

“We welcome women because they are hardworking and know how to relate with customers,” he says.

At Kaka Travellers Sacco, stage clerk Phillis Njeri says workplace rules against sexual harassment and flexible leave arrangements have helped improve conditions for female staff.

Government agencies have also increasingly focused on women’s economic empowerment in informal sectors.

State Department of Gender and Affirmative Action says its programmes are aimed at enhancing opportunities for women and vulnerable groups to participate in economic development through skills training and entrepreneurship support.

First Lady Rachel Ruto has also championed greater support for women pursuing economic independence.

“Women do not lack ideas. Women are diligent. They only lack access to financial capital,” she said during a women’s group forum.

Mrs Ruto praised government programme, including the Hustler Fund, Nyota Fund and Women Enterprise Fund, saying these initiatives are breaking longstanding financial barriers that have limited women’s progress for decades.

As Kenya continues conversations around gender equality and inclusion in male-dominated industries, women in Kiambu’s transport sector say their greatest motivation remains simple: providing for their children and building dignified lives through honest work.

• A Tell Media / KNA report / By Clement Mbari and Monica Mukami