We would go to our homes thinking that guy is a hero, one day I want to be like him.(i mean for those of us who were hard working and listened to good advice - no pun intended). we would dream of cars and admire guys behind the wheel, be it a tractor a garbage canter and most notorious of them all Matatu.
Matatus have given us something to talk about..curses praises, employment and many more lessons. Back to my topic; you realise last week we had a strike called to demand for better payment --doctors; then it was put to 'rest', then COTU - Atwoli Yess himself together with Dickson Mbugua called on all Matatu operators to paralyse or is it down their tools to demand for drop in prices of fuel and scrapping of ERC (ENERGY REGULATION COMMISSION)--by the way what do they do??. Some things clicked in my head:
- Atwoli doesn't use matatus he rides in a multi-million benz with glittering colours
- Majority of matatu users have insecure jobs -- missing to report to work is like committing employment suicide
- Middle class can afford to dial-a-cab to ferry them to work (and most employers can hire a courtesy bus to drop them off)
- The matatu crew (conductors, drivers, and squad boys (turn boys) earn their daily bread from daily rounds in the matatus (of course they have to steal from their employers). Without this some of them will mug you in the evenings and run away with your IDEOS phone.
- The matatu owners are here to make money; they definitely don't care about the high fuel prices. Please note its Christmas time and this is the time when these guys make extra mad money from the poor Kenyans.
Trust me bwana Atwoli, matatus will not go on strike 'chust pikos' you've said so. Some of us have to report to work or hover from one place to another to make ends meet. I cannot sit in the house and pretend to be watching cartoon network; while you are striking; for you that is your job -- you will get paid...and me??
I love matatus even though they have bad manners --When i want to go to town i have no worries, i prepare myself, go to the bus stop and have lots of 'manyangas' to chose from. I will chose the most hottest matatu--i know you always do that unless you are less on cash. when they drop me in town the only people who will attract my attention are the pick pockets, other than that am very much at peace. Very few people will care about me unless I show my face in a shopping mall ---potential customer! On the other hand, If I had a personal car, i will have so many questions to answer before i pick my car keys. Do i have fuel, is it enough, pressure, is the insurance up-to-date, is my drivers licence renewed, which route has no traffic, where can i get cheap fuel. And also who to give and not give a ride (in the name of lift). The problem comes in when you land in town..one you immediately attract unnecessary attention, parking boys are ready to pound, city council askaris are ready for two things...to collect parking fee and to pound for illegal parking. The shopkeepers nearby are already adjusting their tongues to sweet talk you on the latest arrivals, some other motorist is wondering how long are you going to take in there ...they need that parking space. The cops will flag you down even when the rules say GREEN -- DRIVE ON! And it is at this point that the motorists behind you will hoot at you mercilessly(You just wish you either would have gone long time ago or be behind them...nkt!).
Then as soon as we are let to to go someone decides since am ahead of them i dint know how to use the road, they will climb over the pavements off the road and try to bully me overlapping aimlessly then forcing themselves in ahead of me. The experts here are the matatu drivers...they will do this and stop ahead to drop and pick passengers as you overtake them in NKT! STATE. Why harass fellow motorists and overtake aimlessly then stop ahead, yet you have a sub-standard car; put on a plain field you cannot beat a bicycle in a race. Have some manners!
My prayer is that, come 2012 the discipline will be different and the roads will be better and wider, then that way I will think of owning a car.
But when am late even you the reader; when we are in those matatus we feel so great when they do overlap over speed and do all sort of nasty turns on the roads just to beat that deadline (deadline my foot...Learn to be an early bird).
For those with cars; I love you very much when you see me by the road sides; please give me a ride; next year my car will be very new I will 'pull' yours when you have a breakdown along Mbagathi way!
Have a fruitful week.
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