For nearly four decades, Mbukinya has been a reliable and affordable transport option for Kenyans. The company has played a significant role in providing passenger and parcel services to major routes and over long distances in the country.
Founded by Paul Mburu Muthumbi, the company has grown to become one of the oldest and most respected transport service providers in Kenya.
Muthumbi was born and raised in Limuru, where he developed a passion for the transport sector. Despite the skepticism of his peers, Muthumbi was determined to prove them wrong and ventured into small business after his secondary school studies.
He saved up for 11 years to purchase his first bus, a second-hand vehicle, and started operating it between Limuru and Nairobi.
Over the years, Muthumbi’s business grew, and he acquired more buses to explore long-distance routes, including Kisumu and Kakamega. By the 1980s, he had 48 buses, making him one of the biggest transport operators in Kenya.
However, he had to downsize in the 1990s due to expensive insurance premiums. He later increased the fleet to 39 after acquiring 21 Hino buses from Toyota Kenya in 2014.
Today, Mbukinya is run by Muthumbi’s children, who primarily operate the Western Kenya to Nairobi, Nyanza to Nairobi, and Nairobi to Mombasa routes. The company has maintained relatively affordable charges and kept them competitive in the sector.
However, the company has not been without challenges. In 2019, Mbukinya faced a crisis after 41 Toyota Hino buses it had acquired from Toyota developed severe problems before their warranties expired.
The company returned the buses to Toyota, who assumed ownership of the buses and repaired them. Muthumbi allegedly received Sh. 60 million for the buses, though he maintained that he had incurred losses in billions.
Despite the challenges, Mbukinya has remained a critical player in Kenya’s transport sector.
