AfriPulse
President William Ruto has directed the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) to halt its ban and subsequent planned crackdown on matatu graffiti, decorative artwork, and tinted windows.
Speaking at the State House, Mombasa, on May 22, following talks with public transport operators, President Ruto asked NTSA to shelve the plans that were okayed by the High Court.
This directive brings immediate relief to public service vehicle (PSV) operators and artists after a period of intense legal battles regarding Kenya’s famous nganya transport culture.
“I have directed the NTSA to facilitate an enabling environment for matatu operators to continue utilising artwork and graffiti on their vehicles in a manner that upholds safety and respect for other road users,” Ruto directed.
An image of a matatu plying the Rongai Route. PHOTO/ Courtesy.
In May 2025, the NTSA ordered public service vehicles to remove graffiti, decorative artwork, and aftermarket tinted windows, setting off a yearlong clash over the country’s distinctive matatu culture.
The authority, led by Director-General George Njao, said operators who failed to comply would face penalties, including impoundment, suspension of operating licences, and revocation of access to the agency’s service portal.
NTSA justified the order on safety grounds, arguing that heavy exterior artwork and dark window tinting obstructed drivers’ visibility and prevented police from monitoring vehicle interiors.
The authority also said the designs obscured required markings, including registered SACCO names, assigned routes, and the regulatory yellow line used to identify public service vehicles.
Matatu operators challenged the order at the Milimani Law Courts in Nairobi. The operators argued that the ban violated the constitutional right to cultural and artistic expression.
Through lawyers, the operators also said the authority skipped proper public participation and offered no evidence linking vehicle graffiti to road accidents.
On April 29, 2026, High Court Justice Bahati Mwamuye dismissed the petition, dealing a blow to the sector that employs hundreds of young Kenyans.
He ruled that the directive was lawful and constitutional and that public safety took precedence over artistic expression.
The court found that the authority had followed correct legal procedures, clearing the way for nationwide enforcement against decorated public transport vehicles.
In his address, President Ruto expressed dismay at the directive from the NTSA, asking, “Matatu operators have told me they have been asked to remove graffiti, and I am asking myself, why?”
NTSA will now have to pull back the directive, although President Ruto has given the authority some wriggle room to regulate the graffiti.
An image of two matatus plying the Rongai route. PHOTO/ NTSA
Source: Kenyans.co.ke | Read the Full Story…
