Kenya : E-Moti is digitizing Nairobi’s electric bus network 🚌 🇰🇪

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Founded in 2023 by Kirera Denis Muchoki (CEO) and Billy Mwangi Ng’ere (COO), e-Moti is a Nairobi-based startup betting on electric mobility for Kenya’s cities. Through its digital platform Manara, the company connects its fully electric bus fleet to a complete digital ecosystem, letting passengers book their rides remotely without having to travel anywhere to make the booking. It’s a tech-first approach that positions e-Moti as one of the more inventive operators in East Africa’s urban mobility space.

Tech at the center of the passenger experience 🚌

Manara does more than handle bookings. The platform offers real-time trip estimates, fully digital payment, and dynamic pricing that adjusts automatically to the route chosen by the customer. Riders can book individually or arrange group trips directly through the app — a real convenience for shared commutes, especially the daily grind between home and work.

Smart, data-driven routing 📊

Manara’s most significant piece of tech is how it uses both real-time and historical traffic data to dynamically optimize routes between origin and destination. This vehicle routing system, or VRS, adjusts trips based on actual traffic conditions, cutting wait times and improving service reliability. That kind of embedded intelligence gives e-Moti a real edge over traditional operators, still largely tied to fixed schedules that ignore what riders actually need.

Real efficiency gains from going digital 💡

E-Moti says its fully electric fleet cuts operational costs by around 40% compared to traditional bus services, savings the company reports passing on directly to passenger fares. The startup now plans to gradually expand its model to the wider Nairobi metropolitan area, and eventually to other major Kenyan cities, with the goal of making urban travel more affordable, reliable, and sustainable. It’s a strong signal of how digital tools are reshaping mobility across the continent.

Do you think platforms like Manara, combining routing AI and digital payments, could genuinely replace the informal transport systems that still dominate East Africa? Let us know in the comments.