While commuters in Nairobi were left stranded and desperate, a different reality unfolded in the lakeside city of Kisumu. In a bold display of independence, Kisumu matatu owners have opted out of the nationwide strike, keeping the city's transport arteries flowing and defying the call to down tools issued by the national body.

The strike, called by the Matatu Owners Association (MOA) to protest the rising wave of vandalism and arson by rogue boda boda riders, has paralyzed transport in the capital. However, the Kisumu chapter has chosen business over solidarity, citing the unique dynamics of the industry in the region. This split exposes the fragmentation within the public transport sector and the varying degrees of the "boda boda menace" across the country.

Business as Usual in the Lakeside

Residents of Kisumu woke up to the familiar chaos of the bus park—touts shouting destinations, engines revving, and music blaring. There was no sign of the boycott that has turned Nairobi’s bus stations into ghost towns. Local operators argue that while the grievances against boda bodas are valid, a blanket strike punishes the wrong people: the passengers and the matatu crews who live hand-to-mouth.

"We cannot starve our families because of problems in Nairobi," remarked one driver at the main bus terminus. "Here in Kisumu, we have our own way of dealing with the boda boda guys. If we stop work, we lose money, and the boda bodas will just take our customers. It makes no sense."

• The Economic Imperative: For many operators, a day off the road means defaulting on loans and failing to meet daily targets. The margin for error is too thin to support a sympathy strike.
• The Security Dynamic: While Nairobi has seen matatus torched, Kisumu has been relatively calm. The local owners feel the national strike is a reaction to a specific Nairobi crisis.
• The Commuter Relief: For the thousands of residents traveling to work and school, the decision was a godsend. The alternative—walking or paying exorbitant boda boda fares—would have been a disaster.

A House Divided

The refusal of the Kisumu branch to join the strike undermines the bargaining power of the national MOA leadership. It signals a lack of cohesion and suggests that the "nationwide" strike is, in reality, a Nairobi-centric protest. This is not the first time regional interests have trumped national solidarity in the unruly world of Kenyan public transport.

However, the underlying issue remains unresolved. The friction between the unregulated, sprawling boda boda sector and the regulated matatu industry is a ticking time bomb. While Kisumu rides on today, the conflict over road space, passengers, and discipline is far from over.

For now, the lakeside city moves to its own rhythm, ignoring the paralysis gripping the rest of the nation. But as the sun sets, the question lingers: is this resilience, or just a temporary reprieve before the chaos spreads West?