Uber drivers in Kenya are ignoring the app and charging their own rates
Uber’s pricing model in Kenya is under strain as drivers increasingly ignore in‑app fares and negotiate their own, often via direct mobile payments that cut the platform out. Commenters link this to razor‑thin driver margins, aggressive underpricing by Uber to kill competition, and highly price‑sensitive riders who shop across multiple apps or build direct relationships with drivers. Many note similar patterns emerging worldwide: cancellations, off‑app deals, safety and fraud concerns, and a gradual reversion to pre‑Uber taxi dynamics despite the convenience of app‑based ride hailing.
Reversion to Taxi-Like Behavior
- Many see Kenyan Uber drivers’ off-app pricing as a return to old-school taxi bargaining, but with riders now captive inside an app ecosystem.
- Several commenters argue this is not unique to Kenya: similar behavior (selective cancellations, off-app deals, fare manipulation) is emerging in many markets, making Uber more like pre-app taxis.
Kenya-Specific Market Dynamics
- Multiple ride apps operate, and most drivers are on all of them; riders often check several apps for the cheapest price.
- Because it’s often literally the same car across apps, rides are treated as a commodity, driving intense price competition.
- Drivers and repeat customers frequently bypass apps entirely, paying directly (often via mobile money) at a discount, while drivers earn more without the platform’s ~30% cut.
- Some argue Uber is effectively just a matchmaker now, with little control once drivers and riders connect.
Why Uber Doesn’t Simply Raise Rates
- One view: raising rates would be “giving in” to driver collective action and would encourage competitors.
- Another: Uber already prices at the maximum it thinks customers will accept; true cost-covering prices (including fair wages) would reduce demand.
- In many international markets, Uber is already the premium-priced option relative to local services.
Global Driver Workarounds and Passenger Frustrations
- Reports from various countries: drivers call to check destinations, cancel unprofitable trips, ask for extra cash, or propose off-app payments matching or undercutting Uber’s quoted fare.
- Some riders accept these arrangements; others refuse to “undermine” the platform, fearing a slide back to opaque taxi pricing.
- People describe scams: longer routes, manipulated meters, fake accounts, mismatched plates, and drivers starting trips without passengers.
Safety, Regulation, and Power
- Safety concerns include locked rear doors, violent enforcement by taxi interests, and kidnapping fears; others say such risks are rare and suggest vetting vehicles and drivers via the app instead of carrying tools.
- Several comments compare outright bribery in some countries with “legalized” influence via lobbying in others, arguing both shape which companies (Uber, taxis, or state-tied firms) dominate local markets.