Back To School and Nairobi Roads Go Mad

I
think the title summed it all up. Schools opened early this week
after a long break. By long break I’m talking about two months. For
a good eight weeks my kids were off from school and at the end of it
all I’m basically broke. As a single working mum, it’s hard for
me to keep the kids entertained during such long holidays. I’m
truly blessed that my parents don’t mind having the kids over
during the hours I’m at work or I have no idea what I’d do.

Keeping
a six-year-old and a ten- year -old is not impossible but it takes a
lot of effort when there are so many other financial constraints
looming over my head. From school fees to utility bills, from
insurance for the car to not being a stingy mum and taking the kids
out to be entertained, I did it all. In fact these holidays I spent
more money at hospitals than on anything else. Throughout the
holidays the kids and I were seemed to take turns getting ill and I
was tempted to ask my local hospital if they had point redemption
scheme. You know… get a free kidney for seven visits with a gall
stone procedure thrown in for loyalty.

Anyway,
the only way is up and ahead, this too shall pass. Then comes the
horror that is our roads. I’m not sure how ballistic traffic
conditions get in other cities of the country when schools reopen but
I know in Nairobi it’s as bad as when it rains or when President
Kibaki suddenly decides to land at the airport on a rainy Friday at
4.30pm. Yes, that bad.

I
have no idea at all what happens to people who are on the roads. Each
one is thinking the other is an idiot and doesn’t deserve to be
driving. Even with the ease of some areas of the brand new bypass
opening, we are still fed up of the horrid traffic. Everyone I spoke
to this week, from family to friends and even the guy at the call
centre for my bank managed to whinge about traffic at some point of
conversation.

What
the heck is happening really? Who is to blame? Is it the drivers? Is
it the matatus? Is it the cops? First of all the congestion on the
roads is ridiculous. I don’t think our wonderful country knows the
merits of carpooling. Each person has their own car, most are going
in the same direction from the same neighbourhood and instead of
taking turns in giving each other a ride, they’re all out on the
roads stuck in traffic jams created by themselves. Vicious circle.

I
haven’t ventured out towards any of the bypasses as yet. Honestly
speaking I don’t recognize those parts of Nairobi anymore and
nothing seems to have signs or proper markings on the roads. I’ve
heard of stories of cops waiting to pounce on you should you make a
wrong turn at these new roads and I actually saw this for myself in
Gigiri at the UN Avenue turn off. With the new filter lane you cannot
turn left from the main road but because when it was newly opened and
the signage hadn’t gone up and if you weren’t a resident of the
area to have seen the changes being implemented you were bound to be
pounced on by some mean cop waiting to destroy your life or
something. You know how it is…

Anyway,
I think I’ve vented enough about the road conditions. I haven’t
fully developed my road rage as yet besides the impatient honking at
the silly twit who has suddenly stopped in front of me near Westgate
without any warning to drop off the woman who wants to shop without
paying parking fees. Other than that I think I’m pretty ok… in
control.

Breathe
innnnnnnnnnn

Breathe
ouuutttttttttttttt.

Kamal.kaur@radioafricagroup.co.ke