The Irony of development…

Nairobi; Kenya: The transport industry is the busiest if not one of the busiest in the country, whether we are walking, riding, driving, sailing or flying we are always on the move. This could explain why many incidents occurring have not been going well with one person or the other. Sighting from seasons, most people residing in estates along Thika road have always had the last laugh when we talk about traffic in Nairobi, because since the launch of the super highway, the common “parking” was gone for good.

On the other hand, Jogoo road, Ngong’ road and Mombasa road have over a long time been  recorded the most notorious in terms of traffic, with most living in estates along Mombasa road praying endlessly for the launch of the Eastern bypass in the hope that the traffic will come to an end someday.

It does not end with Nairobi and its environs but recently, residents from Nakuru have reported heavy traffic on their roads and some could joke it out and say “hey welcome to new Naikuru rush hour”.

I will not leave out the newest “Jason Statham” in town, only that they are on Motorbikes! “Is there a different set of traffic rules for the motorbike riders?” I have been to most towns and come to realize that whether the lights are red or green, they are always on the move causing more accidents than any other car could ever cause. The sad part is that we lose innocent lives and nobody is willing to learn from it.

The traffic lights according to my nursery school lessons are supposed to guide both pedestrians and the motorists, unfortunately we do not consider using the lights, leave alone pedestrians crossing at wrong points. Maybe it is not their fault, seeing the traffic police release cars at pedestrians’ green light, hence are forced to stop, then they only get a chance to cross when it is red because that is when the cars have been stopped. In a human mind, doing the same thing over and over becomes a habit, this could explain why most people do not know which light means go and which one says stop.

I took a case study of Mombasa highway, from the central business district to Cabanas. My aim was to find clues if not, reasons of why there are so many accidents on this road. From the CBD to Cabanas I noted that there is only one foot bridge and that is at the Nyayo Stadium round about, despite the many drop off points on the road, there is no one spot for pedestrian crossing. This thought comes after not only hearing about the many accidents on this road, but also having witnessed the latest at Belle Vue, where a young man’s life was cut short while he tried crossing the busy highway. My question,’’ when the road was being constructed, did the contractors have pedestrians in mind? Or was the road only meant for the motorists? Will someone do something about it?”

The irony of development in Kenya is that it starts from the top and hangs there. It is the introduction of cashless matatus on very horrible roads, it is the promise of free education and ever striking teachers, it is the increase in power charges with constant black outs in our homes, and the list is endless. Can someone sit down and think about the future of this nation?