There’s always a relief when you step out of that North Rift, or Great Rift (or basically any shuttle that has a rift in it), and breathe the air of Eldoret. It feels like you are breathing purified air for the first time in decades. As far as you are concerned you are in the best town.
Eldoret is not that congested compared to Nairobi. The county government of Uasin Gishu seems to be working hard in creating space, demolishing structures especially close to matatu stages. Nowadays you don’t run the risk of bumping into your fellow pedestrian like Nairobi.
There are pavements that have been constructed for the pedestrians. Every conceivable place has one, where people can walk without being afraid that they may get knocked down by speeding motorcycles.
Although you cannot say that thieves are not there, you always walk with certainty, that you will still have your valuables at the end of the day. In Nairobi, you often have to feel your pocket from time to time to make sure that your phone has not disappeared mysteriously.
I don’t know about other stages, but the one that leads home doesn’t get fares hiked when it rains. Unlike Nairobi where matatu operators pray day and night that it rains so that they can jerk up fares, three of four times.
Lastly, when in Eldoret, you hear people talk the language that you first learned to talk –unless you grew in towns. In Nairobi for example, you never get to hear your people talk, only an endless gibberish of languages that sound as if someone is backbiting you. In Eldoret, you are just home, among your people.
#hivisasaoriginal