Moving to Nairobi
When I first moved to Nairobi in 2017 I was not sure how long I would end up staying. The uncertainty around the duration of my stay saw me adopt a short-term attitude to life. This reflected itself also in my approach to accommodation. I started looking for a place to stay around my new work. A quick online research had suggested that commuting was going to be a bit of a mission in Nairobi. In terms of public transport there really only was the Matatu option. I was familiar with this form of transport from other African countries. In fact, I used to be fascinated by the flexibility and spontaneity of the stops, the payment mechanisms and the gospel vibe that often blared from the minibus speakers. But I also realized that this the magic of the experience would fade as the reality of the strenuous daily commute kicked-in. And although the Matatu was the probably the most economic option I thought it would overall be too time-consuming. Buying a car for the short duration of my stay was not really a sensible option either. By the time I would have found the car I would likely have to leave the country again.
Walking to work?
So I decided to look for a place in walking distance from work. The actual options turned out to be rather slim. One place that I really liked was a 40min walk from work. I imagined myself arriving sweaty at work and spending nearly 1.5 hours per day commuting. Surely this was still a privileged outlook compared with many inhabitants of Nairobi. But still, my mind started considering the use of a motorcycle. With a motorcycle I would never be stuck in traffic and given the short distance from work, I would spend only a few minutes per day on the bike, not exposing myself to too much risk. I did some research but could not find any actual motorcycle rental service in Nairobi.
Getting that bike
But the seed had been planted in my mind. I was determined to get a bike, even if it meant buying one. It took me several trips to downtown Nairobi to figure out what to buy and how to handle the insurance of the bike, the Kenyan driving license, etc. The busy River Road downtown areas where the bikes were sold, carrying cash around and the uncertainty around the quality of the motorcycle at purchase rendered the whole process into quite an experience. But finally, after a week of shopping around, I was the proud owner of a Boxer X150. I called it "Uhuru" - Freedom and it really did feel like it. No traffic jam could stop me, no corner of Nairobi seemed out of reach.
Starting the business
Initially I only used the bike to ride to work, but increasingly I used to run errands and explore the city. The convenience of the bike was so obvious to me that I felt like sharing it. I wanted to provide people with the service that I had looked for when I first arrived to Kenya. I wanted to make an easy, affordable, safe and reliable motorbike service.
A few months later I launched iRideNairobi.