Kenya's matatu industry is notorious for its crews' uncouth ways, more especially in Nairobi but one pair has hit both social and mainstream media circles for an entirely different reason.
Josephat Mwangi, a matatu driver and his conductor James Njau have been transporting staff from the National Council of Persons with Disability offices along Waiyaki way to Kinoo and to Nairobi CBD at no extra fee.
Mwangi says he witnessed the plight of the staff that had to struggle with the rest of the public scrambling to get into public service vehicles during rush hours.
Many of the staff members ended up being rained on or getting home late as a result.
Together with Njau, he decided to be picking the staff members at certain times to ease their daily struggle.
What started as an act of kindness which sometimes includes carrying some of their clients onto their seats would see the pair create a daily routine they have committed to even to date- two years down the line.
The extra time taken to pick and drop off their special clients reduces the number of trips their matatu makes during the rush hour, meaning less income but this is of no concern to them. "Its OK, I believe God will repay me" says Mwangi.
While the council for people with disabilities continues pushing for facilities that would make life a little easier like extra space in lifts or stairs and better access to PSVs, small acts of kindness by people like Mwangi and Njau means that some people with disabilities, at least the ones they are able to reach can rest a little easy.
In their own small way, the driver and conductor operating along Waiyaki way continue touching lives while going about their business, proving one only needs to have a kind heart to make a positive difference.
Here is a video clip by NTV on the story.
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