Uber is celebrating its 10-year anniversary in Kenya and is offering free rides for its customers. The company announced via WhatsApp Business messages that it will be offering free Uber ChapChap and Uber Boda rides between 10:00 am and 11:00 am daily until 11 September 2025 (tomorrow).
The promotion is part of Uber’s celebrations marking a decade of operations in Kenya since its entry into Nairobi in January 2015. In that time, Uber has introduced a range of services from Uber ChapChap to Uber Eats while competing with regional ride-hailing rivals such as Bolt, Little and Yego.
For riders, you get a chance to ride for free during the designated time with no limits. But for some drivers, the promotion has raised concerns.
One Nairobi-based Uber driver told TechArena he plans to switch off his app during the free rides window. His reasoning is, while the rides are compensated by Uber, drivers are only allowed one withdrawal per day, limiting access to instant cash for fuel or daily expenses. Cash-paying trips during that same period would otherwise provide him with immediate funds.
With this, we can see the delicate balance between rider-focused promotions and meeting the needs of the drivers. This is especially in a market where fuel prices and operating costs remain high.
TechArena has reached out to Uber for further details on the promotion’s terms and conditions, as well as to understand how the initiative ties into its long-term Kenya strategy.
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