Competitionamong cross-border transport firms could get tighter following the entry of Kenya’s biggest bus companies, Mash East Africa and Modern Coast Express, last week.

The development is expected to take the already competitive Kigali – Kampala – Nairobi route a notch higher.

The two bus firms join Kampala Coach and Simba Coach on the Nairobi route, and those that ply the Kigali-Kampala route, like Trinity Express, Jaguar Executive Coaches, Gaaga Coaches and the state-run Onatracom.

Emmanuel Twagirayezu, the Mash East Africa country manager, said their entry was demand-driven, noting that Rwandans who regularly use their buses in Kenya and Uganda had asked the firm to extend its services Kigali for a long time.

Modern Coast’s country manager, Ibrahim Kipkoech Harun, said the firm was attracted to start operations in Rwanda because of its conducive business climate and impressive growth rate. "Rwanda is a growing economy and has been in every newsroom for all the good reasons. It was a marriage we could not afford to say ‘No’ to,” he said. 

"Our catchword is ‘travel in style’ so we bring comfort, safety and style to the route. We offer VIP, first class and business class seats to cater for the different needs of customers. We also have online booking and accept Mpesa and Visa Card payments,” he added when asked how they planned to beat the competition. 

Mash East Africa’s Twagirayezu said their buses will only be picking passengers from designated offices along the Kigali – Nairobi route in line with their ‘safety first’ slogan.

Both companies have their buses fitted with speed governors to adhere to traffic regulations regarding speeding. 

John Kagaba, the operations manager at Modern Coast,  said they always ensure they take details of passengers and even make video clips before the bus departs so they have photographic evidence of all those on board.

"This information comes in handy and the approach deters ill-intentioned people from using the bus.”

Mash East Africa operates in Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda, while Modern Coast serves Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda.

The firms join a competitive route that has seen companies like Regional, Starways and Akamba come and go.