The public transport in Kenya is like a movie in itself. In fact, we are able to shoot a very nice movie just by using the matatu experience.
It is a wonder as to how our public transport systems have not won any movie award as they have tons of entertainment once you board them. Right from the traffic police to the passengers, the system is full of episodes in need of urgent redress.
First, there is the police officer who, instead of ensuring motorists adhere to traffic rules, his/her main aim is to collect as many bribes from the matatus as they possibly can. There have been instances where officials from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) have arrested traffic police officers with bundles of money which they had collected as bribes. This just shows how deep the graft rot is in the police force which has been listed in several surveys among those leading in the vice.
Then there are those passengers who like misbehaving in matatus and wasting other people’s time for not paying their fare. In most cases, such guys are usually drunk. Others will pretend to be lost when in the real sense, they have arrived their destinations. The poor conductor will take pity on the guy and even return him/her the fare. He will even help them get into another matatu to his/her destination.
Let’s not forget the graffiti on some of these PSVs. Can you recall the public uproar last August when a bus that was heading to Nairobi was intercepted in Kirinyaga ferrying students who were high on drugs and engaging in sex? The writings on the matatu were 'Baby, while you were away…. I became a millionaire and Why go to high school when you can’t go to school high? Very inciting quotations I believe!
Really, what values are we inculcating in our future generation? Indeed, such a movie can only be shot in Kenya!!!