A policeman directs traffic at one of Nairobi’s congested roundabouts near the Nyayo Stadium.
Traffic at a Roundabout
A policeman directs traffic at one of Nairobi’s congested roundabouts near the Nyayo Stadium.
Copyright © 2012 Africa Knows.
You were actually driving! Yaani on the driver’s seat. You could be worse than a guy on the phone.
True dat. But that was one of those traffic jams where we stopped for 10 minutes. I actually took around 10 photos and with the light being so low, each photo was around 2 seconds. I had to do something. It is very boring seating in traffic
I have a dream, that one day this nation in the sun will conquer its development challenges, i have a dream, that one day fly-overs and fly-unders will part of our highway spectacle, i have a dream………
hey Josh, your pics capture the scenes the communicate the fabric that is kenya, keep it up great Job
@Chebosi Thanks a lot. I hope we will get to achieve our dreams as a nation.
Ahh, the infamous Nyayo Stadium / Lusaka roundabout no? Great shot Josh!
Thanks Hash.
this is a great looking site and nice initiative, congrats!
Nice pic, though you may want to blur out the licence plate of that vehicle
Hey Josh,
How about netting those traffic cops who have made our lives hell on eath by
demanding bribes left right and centre.It might make them know that briberly is
not part of their proffession!!
Good work keep it up
I like Omandi’s idea. Maybe that can be used one day when our justice system actually works!
@ Joshua : I can see you are one of those who appreciate traffic jams
@ Chebose : I believe we will achieve our dreams. We are slowly waking up from deep sleep. I always see a lot of development whenever I visit and I can tell you we are much much ahead than most African countries. You should come to West Africa then you will never complain but appreciate the progress we are doing.
@ Omandi and Joliea : I am sorry guys but I do not really agree with you. Why do we have to bribe them especially when you know you are on the right? Who is corrupt? For me the giver and the taker are equally corrupt. So ofcourse bribery according to them is part of their profession because it is given to them. The day we shall ALL REFUSE to give bribes (no matter the situation) then you will see how things will change. It is a sacrifice we have to make! It is for us to change things. Those are just my opinions.
I agree with @Njambi, a bribe cannot be take if it is` not given! Learn to stay in your place in line, know your rights and do not give a bribe!
Change comes only from within, unless you are the bribe taker and you decide not to take ALL Kenyans have to agree not to pay, they are active participants in the nuisance corruption. The office message misplaces a file until bribed, the hospital records clerk refuses to use Electronic medical records because it will remove a toll station, the clerk at the library keeps a girls waiting for an hour just for a card.
Development is not physical infrastructure, that follows, development is the people doing the right things.
Josh keep at it.
Look guys I have been driving to work in the Nairobi city and back home for close to 30 years almost daily. I am an engineer and have studied traffic engineering. Let me share with you some thoughts on Nairobi traffic:
1) On days when cops do not control traffic at Haile Selassie, Bunyala Road and Lusaka Road roundabouts on Uhuru Highway traffic moves – slow but moving. It would take me 10 – 15 minutes to travel 4 km
2) On days when cops control traffic at the above sites there are immense traffic jams and it can take me anything from 20 mins to 50 minutes to travel the same distance.
3) On days before public holidays or long weekends cops inevitably are seen at the roundabouts causing huge jams.
4) No person who lives in Nairobi and environs can plan travel anywhere anymore with any degree of precision;
5) Yesterday Friday 24th September traffic was a nightmare for no apparent reason. I parked away from home and walked and picked up the car much later with the help of a friend. I took a different route home with very little traffic but my friend opted for the highway route and met a jam around 9:30 pm with cops still trying to control traffic at that time when they should have been at home enjoying a good dinner after causing mayhem on Nairobi roads.
6) today Saturday 25 th September – it is now 3:00 pm – the jams on the highway are still there since morning with cops ever present.
Years of driving have made me conclude that cops cannot be trusted with traffic control. The reason:
Very simple again after years of thinking over the problem: fuel taxes and petroleum sales. Petrol is an essential commodity. Why does the Government not take control of petrol pricing? Is there a real cartel which is holding the government and people of Kenya to ransom? My theory is that the Government controls the fuel industry through window dressers – the oil companies. The more fuel consumed and the higher the price the better for Government. The cops are the government agents responsible for ensuring that consumption does not fall too low when prices are raised. This is to ensure a steady revenue floe into the Government coffers. Makes sense?
Traffic control systems are available. We do not need super highways and flyovers. We have the technology to control traffic flow. Go to any major city and traffic control systems are in place and traffic flows are steady – not fast but steady.
If we have systems then why not take implement them? The answer can only be easy money for the government coffers and double and triple taxation of the car driving public.