John Bajeneza just hops onto the next motorcycle taxi to get around
in Rwanda's capital, Kigali. For the hotel manager, it's part of his
daily routine. But today he is being driven by a woman. And that is not
something that happens every day. 40-year-old Claudine Nyanamajambere is
the only female "moto" driver in all of Kigali, the only woman in a
male domain.
But that doesn't make her work any more difficult for her, she says.
"Most of my customers are men. Whenever I'm standing around with the
other drivers waiting for a passenger, the men choose me. They hear my
voice and come over. I take them to their destinations safely." She says
she has not experienced any harassment or other problems with male
customers.
From bicycle taxi to motorcycle taxi
It's the evening rush hour in the Rwandan capital. Cars are inching
their way through the city center and clogging up the intersections. The
small African country is growing rapidly. Construction sites have
sprung up everywhere, slowing down the traffic even more. But Claudine
just zigzags her way between rows of backed-up cars.
She has been a moto driver on the streets of Kigali for four years
now. She says it was not a conscious choice. "I spent a long time
looking for a job, but I couldn't find one. I had already been a bicycle
taxi driver in my home village. So I got a motorcycle license, and
that's what motivated me to become a moto driver."
In Kigali, mototaxis are the fastest and most convenient way to get around
Over and over, Claudine has to come to an abrupt halt. Drivers are
changing lanes unexpectedly or suddenly slamming their brakes. At least
moto drivers and their passengers are required to wear helmets. Riding a
moto is not exactly hazard-free; accidents occur daily.
But motorcycle taxis are simply the fastest way to get around in this
sprawling city. There are more than 5,000 mototaxis moving through
Kigali. No matter where you are, you'll always find a moto in no time
whatsoever. Buses are unreliable, and conventional taxis are
considerably more expensive and a whole lot slower.
A profession that promotes equal rights
Whether men or women are better motorcycle drivers is not an issue
for Claudine's male colleagues. I think it's a good thing for women to
drive a moto and make a living that way. After all, how well a person
drives is only a matter of experience," moto driver Jean de Dieu
Nikarionza says. "It's a job like any other," his colleague Jean Paul
Aimana adds. "A woman can do it, too. I think more women should become
moto drivers!"
Hotel manager John Bajeneza says it was the first time he was driven by a woman
There are more women than men in the Rwandan parliament. Women can be
found at all levels of government, and the government promotes equal
opportunity in schools. Nonetheless, Claudine is regarded by some as an
unofficial gender equality officer. "My female passengers say I'm doing
something for women. By driving a moto, I'm helping to promote equal
rights in society."
A family income and possibly a few savings
But in the end, what is important to Claudine is not that she is the
only woman to drive a mototaxi. "I need the money for my family. My
husband is out of work right now, and if I can still save up a little
bit, I'm happy," she says.
The five-minute ride from the city center to the Kimihurura
neighborhood cost John Bajeneza the equivalent of slightly more than a
euro.
"It is my first time to be driven on a moto by a lady," the hotel
manager says. "As a man, you know, you think maybe they cannot do it,"
he admits. "So you have that first fear, but in the end I found that
she's also a good driver."
