Tech in Africa
It’s all systems go for SWVL after the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) approved their operations in the Kenyan market. The company was dragged into a legal dispute over licensing with the industry regulator NTSA.
SWVL has indicated its commitment to a regulatory framework for the industry. General Manager Dip Patel disclosed to Techweez how they had “resolved all issues.” He also expressed their intention to cooperate with the NTSA to get a framework that “support technology-enabled transport solutions.”
Once the restrictions are lifted, the company can resume its operations. This indicates a positive outlook for the company whose co-founder and CEO Mostafa Kandil was once earmarked for prosecution over the company’s illegal operations within the city. They were accused of operating under a Tours Service License (TSL) rather than a Public Service Vehicle (PSV) license. Despite being a digital tech company, the regulator wanted them to register as a matatu Sacco.
Shivachi Muleji, who was the former General Manager for SWVL in Kenya was upbeat that the company could arrive at an amicable agreement with NTSA sooner rather than later. SWVL launched in Kenya in late 2019 after receiving a $15 million investment which gave them the impetus to expand their operations into the local market.
