Nairobi streets have turned to miniature hollywoods with major parts being acted by traffic police officers, matatu drivers and conductors plus city council askaris.Some few months ago there was a stand-off between the government and matatu owners association which resulted in a one week strike by matatu operators.After the stand-off in which major losers were ordinary Kenyans, it was decided that there would be no more harassing of matatus by police officers.It was also decided that police would not be allowed to confiscate matatu ignition keys or commandeer vehicles at will.On their part matatu operators were expected to be courteous when dealing with passengers and to regulate their fares.Both parties have since breeched the agreement which has resulted to endless cat and mouse games in the city centre.
Notorious for these movies is the junction of tom mboya and Luthuli avenue.City council askaris who have joined the bandwagon prey on matatus which break the slightest of rules and tow them away with their break-downs.The matatu drivers don’t take this lying down and what follows is push and shove where drivers make dangerous maneuvers in an already congested city to try and escape.You can imagine a Nissan matatu packed with passengers in the middle of two minibuses and a horde of city council askaris at the door trying to force it open .You see if the matatu is towed away,the release fine is upwards of five thousand.The best option thus remains to be neck-breaking escape.With all the jam in the city centre you are in for a high speed car chase if you happen to be passing by Luthuli during one such operation.
On the other side of town,at the junction of river road and racecourse road where minibuses plying the kayole route park there is another drama.Every now and then traffic police from kamukunji police station crack down on these minibuses which to say the truth are a menace.
Big as they are the minibuses don’t take arrests easily either.I once witnessed a minibus making a sharp u-turn and speed off the wrong side of the road to escape arrest.The speed in which it was travelling was enough to make Vin Diesel and his fast and furious crew go green with envy.It was only by the grace of God that there were no by-standers,otherwise the scene would have turned fatal
