Taxify, UBER, Little Cab Compete For Kenya Market

UBER in Kenya will feel the competion wind in its face as the first of two more App based taxi hailing services, 'Taxify' has now launched services with some 400 drivers, just days ahead before Safaricom supported 'Little Cab' will launch next week.

Taxify intends to rapidly roll out into Mombasa too, UBER's second Kenyan destination but has already announced that more towns across Kenya will be added rapidly like Kisumu, Nakuru and intends to have as many as 7.000 drives on call when fully operational.

Taxify has announced fares of 50 Kenya Shillings per kilometre and 5 Kenya Shillings per hour, the latter - given the notorious traffic jams in Kenya's capital, no doubt a form of charging reflecting the time one stands on the city's roads rather than moving on them.

This is seen as a direct challenge to UBER which, when demand outstrips supply of cabs, applies a 1.5 factor on fares.

Plenty of choices now how to move around Nairobi though hotel limousines remain another convenient option as they are charged directly on to a guest's room account eliminating the need to carry too much cash.