How the Dala-Dalas of Dar-es Salaam taught me to appreciate Nairobi Matatus

Erol Ozam once said that you can't understand a city without using its public transportation system. This saying proved true when I visited Tanzania’s bustling coastal city of Dar es Salaam.  Dar, as the locals call it, was formerly the capital city of Tanzania. Though it lost this title to Dodoma, Dar es Salaam continues to be one of Tanzania’s most vibrant cities.

While many wealthy residents own personal cars, the common modes of public transportation are buses and vans commonly known as Dala-Dala. Most of the Dala-Dala's are either mini-vans or mini-Buses.

Initially,  dala-dalas cropped up as an illegal form of public transportation. Owners of these privately operated vehicles ventured into public transportation after government run systems failed to meet the growing demand. 

There is a minor controversy on the etymology of the term Dala-Dala. Some say that the word came from the Swahili word dala, referring to a five shilling coin, which used to be the standard fare. Others however claim the word was a corruption of the English word dollar since at that time one dollar was equivalent to five Tanzanian shillings.

One unspoken rule of the Dala-Dala is it never gets full, despite the fact that all seats are taken. The Konda, a name used to the ticket master who collects cash from the passengers, makes sure that the Dala-Dala is always filled to the brim. During one of my many commutes one woman complained about the congestion and the Konda retorted that the only thing that fills up is a bucket of water. 

Travelling in the city of Nairobi is once luxury experience as compared to Dar. Seated safely on your seat, having an option of putting on a belt- these are unheard of in dala-dalas.  My experience taught me to appreciate Nairobi’s transport system.