NAIROBI, Kenya– Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei has criticized the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) following a public notice directing public transport operators to remove all graffiti and artistic modifications from matatus.
According to the notice dated May 27, 2025, the NTSA cited widespread non-compliance with Public Service Vehicle (PSV) regulations, specifically targeting graffiti and branding that obscure the identity of licensed operators.
However, Senator Cherargei took to social media to express his outrage, calling the move by NTSA “retrogressive, backward, primitive, and illegal.”
He argued that banning graffiti on matatus not only stifles freedom of expression but also threatens the livelihoods of many young Kenyans who depend on the matatu art industry.
“To ban matatu graffiti, which is an identity and a matatu industry culture in Kenya, is retrogressive, backward, primitive, and illegal because it undermines freedom of expression, thought, art, and consciousness,” he posted.
NTSA warned operators of severe consequences for non-compliance, including vehicle impoundment, suspension of licenses, and restricted access to the NTSA service portal.
The Authority emphasized the need for clear vehicle identification, standardized branding, and removal of unapproved modifications.
The regulator has also ordered operators to conduct an immediate audit of their fleets.
In response, Cherargei urged the NTSA to rescind the directive, highlighting that graffiti culture is a unique Kenyan urban expression and a source of income for many youths amid limited employment opportunities.
The debate has sparked a nationwide conversation on balancing regulatory compliance with cultural preservation and youth empowerment.
While NTSA maintains its position on ensuring safety and uniformity in the PSV sector, critics argue that a blanket ban on graffiti fails to consider its artistic, cultural, and economic significance.
Graffiti, the highly noticeable colorful prints on Kenya’s public service vehicles, synonymous with the country’s urban areas, especially Nairobi, has now become a deeply rooted aspect of Kenya’s urban culture that dates back to the 1980s.
