NAIROBI: American taxi hailing firm Uber has launched its operations in Mombasa expanding its global presence to 399 cities.
The launch into Kenya’s second biggest city comes barely two weeks after the firm advertised for the position of a Mombasa-based operations coordinator.
The San-Francisco-based firm will be hoping to ride on its success in Nairobi where the launch of the service in January caused jitters from traditional taxi operators. Supporters of the company cite low fares charged and transparency in billing as an incentive to adoption compared to the traditional taxis long accused of overpricing.
In a statement after the launch in Mombasa, Uber Kenya Acting General Manager Nate Anderson said that the company is excited to enter a second city in Kenya.
Uber Kenya Operations Manager Kagure Wamuyu expressed hope that the firm’s services will bring impact to the coastal people. “By offering a friendly and reliable complement to existing transport options, we can help improve urban mobility in Mombasa, reduce traffic congestion and the environmental impact of vehicles at the same time,” Wamuyu said.
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“Mombasa is a cultural and economic hub as well as a popular tourist destination that has a need for safe, reliable and efficient transportation and we are so excited to be launching here.”
The launch comes at a time when tension between Uber drivers and that of traditional taxi operators continue to escalate.
This is because traditional taxi operators arbitrarily quote prices making their service expensive to that of Uber that charges depending on kilometres covered. On Tuesday night, a vehicle belonging to Uber operator was burnt down in Riruta area in Nairobi. The driver who escaped unhurt said he had gone to pick a customer at Yaya Centre.
The uproar between the two players caused government to form a task force to resolve rivalry. The 60-page report which was handed to Interior Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho recommended that the government protects both parties.
