A veteran driver at George Ruto's 98 Sacco has described life behind the wheel of one of Nairobi's most talked-about matatu fleets, saying the brand is opening doors for young people.
Robin Ondieki, who has 15 years of driving experience, now operates one of six customised minibuses added to the 98 Sacco fleet last month.
Ondieki :'The experience so far has been great'
Speaking during a street interview, Ondieki said he was grateful for the jobs the fleet has created.
"We have these new vehicles here operating under 98 Sacco. This is where I work, and I am grateful because it has created job opportunities, and now the youth can benefit," he said.
Ondieki also gave a positive account of daily operations since the new vehicles launched. "The experience so far has been great," he said. "We have been dealing with customers well."
His comments come shortly after George unveiled six new 33-seater customised minibuses in Nairobi's CBD on September 19, 2026. The event drew wide public interest, partly because a pastor blessed the vehicles with holy water before they joined the road.
A passion since school days
Matatus have been a passion for George since his school days, he has said. What began as a single vehicle in 2025 has grown into a 17-strong fleet, with six more reportedly in the pipeline.
Built in the nganya style
Each matatu follows the traditional nganya look, with bold graffiti, bucket seats, custom rims, LED mood lighting and loud sound systems. Mood, the flagship, goes a step further with DJ decks installed on board.
Customisation adds to the price of a standard Isuzu 33-seater, which starts at roughly KSh6.8 million. Each of the new vehicles is estimated to cost over KSh7 million, bringing the total value of the six to more than KSh42 million.
98 Sacco matatus operate mostly on routes linking Embakasi and Ongata Rongai. George's first matatu, Raptor, inspired the name Raptor Family. Other vehicles in the fleet include Money Fest, Mood, Matrix and Manifest.
