Nairobi driver-partner protest: An update

As you may be aware, there was a legal protest at Uhuru Park on 2 July 2018 by a small group of driver-partners. We respect everyone’s right to a legal protest and are committed to doing as much as possible to ensure that Uber is and remains a meaningful earning opportunity for our partners.

On the 2nd of July, we received reports that a group of individuals attempted to block riders’ access to transport services via Uber. These individuals claim to represent the Uber driver-partner community, but we have established that driver-partners in addition to riders have been victims of their acts. We strongly denounce this unlawful behaviour and encourage you to continue to report this behaviour to us through the Uber App.

Uber partners are independent contractors who make use of Uber’s technology to scale their businesses. Drivers are diverse in how they use the Uber app and it would be difficult for an individual or group to holistically represent every driver on the app. Safety is at the core of everything we do and we are committed to our driver-partners safety while they are on an Uber trip. We have partnered with SGA security to give driver partners access to a 24-hour emergency hotline.

We’re committed to supporting the men and women who drive with Uber across Kenya and we understand partners are concerned about their earnings. We’re conducting a full review of all variables which impact partner earnings (fuel prices for example) and use all this information to make the right long-term decision together with our partners.

Fuel is one of the biggest weekly expenses for drivers, which is why drivers can also access rewards that help them reduce costs and keep more of their earnings. This Uber rewards programme provides deals such as fuel rebates, cell phone deals, data package deals, maintenance, servicing and health care. Additionally, we have launched vehicle solutions partnerships with two major banks in Kenya, Stanbic and Barclays, that provide 100% financing to drivers that have the necessary qualifications through their Uber trip history (minimum 4.6-star driver rating).

Our team also holds regular roundtable sessions so that we can dig deeper into concerns & opportunities with our partners. These roundtables are one of the many channels that partners have available to raise concerns with Uber and we have invited hundreds of partners in Kenya to similar roundtables this year. We also offer office hours 5 days a week and offer partners with 24/7 virtual support. We remain committed to continuing to improve upon the support channels that we have available.

Uber succeeds when our partners succeed and our teams are working hard to ensure that we address all concerns raised.

UberON

Loic Amado – GM, East Africa