Uber taxis set for Nairobi debut with free rides

American taxi-hailing service Uber is set to debut in Nairobi this week, marking its entry to the fourth African country.

The rapidly growing but also controversial taxi company said it would offer complimentary rides during the promotional Nairobi Restaurant Week, which is the brainchild of online reservation portal Eatout Kenya.

The San Francisco-based technology firm will give users of the Uber App a discount coupon of Sh2,000 for two rides taken during 10 days of the event.

“I am delighted that Uber recognises Restaurant Week as a suitable platform to test their service,” said Eatout CEO Mikul Shah.

Customers seeking the company’s taxi services are required to download an Uber App, which they then use to call the cabs.

The company says about 30 cars are already registered with Uber to serve Nairobi.

The firm has advertised for positions of Kenya general manager, country manager and operations manager.

The 10-day market trial will set the ground for official launch of the Uber service next month.

The app allows customers to get a driver from any location at a lower cost than regular taxis by linking up operators and customers within the same vicinity, which reduces the transit time.

The taxi app company has seen its presence triple in the past year, growing its base from 60 cities in 21 countries to more than 250 cities in 50 countries. Launched in 2009, Uber operates in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Lagos and Cairo in Africa.

Controversy has faced the cab hailing service which has caused an uproar in some of the markets they have ventured into.

Taxi drivers in Europe have gone on strikes, claiming that Uber had an unfair advantage in the market. In India, where an Uber driver was accused of raping a female passenger, the company has begun a review to assess the safety and security of its service.

“Our technology includes a two-way rating system to help ensure only the top drivers stay on the platform and riders are also held accountable.

“Our app also displays a driver’s photo, licence plate number, and vehicle type, so when our riders enter a car, they know with confidence it’s the right one with the right driver,” said Phillip Cardenas, head of global security at Uber in a blog post.

He added that the company was conducting background checks on new drivers and in some areas using polygraph tests to get more information about them.

The firm has also attempted to counter negative publicity by claiming that it would create thousands of new jobs, especially in Europe where it has met stiff opposition.

Uber CEO Travis Kalanick in a blog post said: “In 2015 alone, Uber will generate over one million jobs in cities around the world and with that millions of people may decide that they no longer need to own a car because using Uber will be cheaper than owning one. Parking could become less strained in our biggest cities, and city congestion may actually start to ease due to uberPOOL’s expansion and success.”

In Europe, Uber is set to create 50,000 jobs, he said.