If you’ve ever boarded a matatu in Nairobi, you’ve probably heard names like Commercial, OTC, Khoja, or Ambassadeur. These are not just random labels but landmarks deeply woven into the city’s transport and cultural history. Each stage carries a unique backstory that links Nairobi’s past with its present.
Commercial Stage
Located at the intersection of Kenneth Matiba Road and Tom Mboya Street, behind the Kenya National Archives, the “Commercial” stage has roots in the early post-colonial era. In the 1970s and 1980s, the building that now houses the National Archives was the headquarters of Kenya Commercial Bank. Kenya Bus Service (KBS), then the dominant public transport provider, used this spot as a vital stop. Passengers would ask to alight at “Commercial,” a name that stuck long after KCB moved out. Today, the stage mainly serves matatus heading to Eastlands via Jogoo Road, Outering Road, and Mombasa Road.
OTC Stage
The name “OTC” comes from the Overseas Trading Company, a London-based firm that pioneered public bus transport in Kenya. From 1934, OTC operated a fleet of 13 buses in Nairobi, covering 12 routes that laid the foundation for today’s matatu network. Their services even stretched beyond Kenya, linking cities like Kampala, Arusha, and Dar-es-Salaam. In Nairobi, their buses were staged along Racecourse Road, making the spot synonymous with OTC. Though the bus company collapsed in the late 1980s, the stage remains one of the busiest hubs in the city.
These stages are more than pick-up and drop-off points—they are living pieces of Nairobi’s urban memory. Whether linked to banks, transport companies, or iconic landmarks, they tell the story of how the city’s transport system evolved into the vibrant, chaotic, yet efficient network we know today
