Nairobi Traffic Jam Shows Softer Side

Dear Friends
Yesterday I was caught up in one of the biggest and longest traffic jams I've ever experienced in the last 21 years in Kenya. What normally takes me 15 minutes from my office to my house took just over 2 hours! A big trailer had flipped on its side in the middle of the Langata Road and traffic was stuck on either side of it.

Motorists were doing the usual thing - making two lanes of traffic into five as they jockeyed for position. The people on the opposite side of the trailer did the same and the result was a mess! It was 4:00 in the afternoon. It was very hot and very dusty from people driving on the dirt verges and overall the situation was pretty miserable. Most of the cars had no air conditioning and people were trying to make the best out of being crammed into overcrowded buses and matatu's.

However, one thing that struck me the most was that although people were all trying to get from A to B, they were all behaving in a very polite manner. Even the matatu's, which usually act very aggressively and annoy everyone, even on a good day, were behaving themselves. People were courteous and let each other into lanes when possible.

Considering Kenya's recent political unrest and spate of violence, this came across as something short of miraculous. It was a perfect opportunity for people's tempers to flare and problems to arise. I would be lying if I said that I wasn't more than a little uncomfortable being trapped in the midst of a huge gridlock for two hours with nowhere to escape to.

To me, this was a huge statement for the people of Nairobi. Everyone seems to be tired of the violence, the fighting and the politics. The average Kenyan citizen wants to go to work, feed their family and pay their bills. They just want to get on with life in a calm, peaceful manner.

It reminded me of the weeks that followed after the horrible incident of 9/11 when terrorist planes hit the Twin Towers. New York taxi cabs were silent for the first time since anyone could remember. Normally New York City is a buzz with the sound of hooting horns from the thousands of cabs that operate on the streets 24 hours a day. But after 9/11, the cabs were silent and everyone was nicer and more compassionate towards their fellow man.

I hope the politeness seen in this huge traffic jam yesterday is a sign of hope for the people of Kenya as well. We need to pull together and start the healing process of this amazing country we all call home.