Today fed up with my overpriced town mechanic and needing some specialized service on my car I decided to try out a “jua kali [1] ” garage. My friend gave me the instructions to get to the place and after a few wrong turns I pulled into a muddy ‘mabati [2] ’-fenced garage with a boldly drawn Mercedes-Benz three star on its gate. I was apprehensive but I had been assured the best mechanics this side of Kenya would be found within those tin walls. Four hours and perfectly working car later I found myself unsure whether to agree or disagree with my friend. Great customer care, consistent service, and a professional set-up attract me most to my town mechanic. The jua kali mechanic lacks all the above but sufficiently compensates with sublime technical skill and competitive pricing. What put me off though most was that the jua kali mechanic takes on the role of administrator, sales man, customer care rep, and mechanic at the same time. He ends up giving your car staccato attention as
Thoughts from a Kenyan entrepreneur passionate about startups.