ICDE Report by Jared Matabi

Matabi, Jared. Exploring Regulatory Frameworks to Promote and Govern Worker-Platform Cooperatives in Kenya’s Ride-Hailing Sector. New York: Institute for the Cooperative Digital Economy, March 19, 2026.

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This ICDE report examines how Kenya’s regulatory system could better support worker-platform cooperatives in the ride-hailing sector. Drawing on interviews with government officials, drivers, platform representatives, legal experts, and academics, it maps the many ministries, agencies, laws, and policies that shape this field and identifies major gaps in legal recognition, labor rights, taxation, financing, public safety compliance, and coordination across government levels. Jared Matabi’s report argues that worker-platform cooperatives could help improve driver welfare, strengthen collective bargaining, and create a fairer ride-hailing ecosystem, but only if supported by clearer laws, accessible funding, tax incentives, locally developed digital infrastructure, stronger governance training, and better collaboration between national and county authorities.