Forget security, Nairobians live by God’s mercies
With reports showing terrorists could target bus termini during rush hour, a survey by NairobiNews shows we are ill prepared for such an attack.
Touts carry out inspection as a matter of routine rather than security measure. Commuters are more concerned with getting home than their security. Police are few and far between these termini.
• Railway Station Matatu terminus:
Here its business as usual as passengers scramble for the few matatus that show up.
There are searches on several buses plying the Ongata rongai, Kiserian routes but for the small 14 seater matatus plying Kawangware, Kibera and Dagoretti route, the passengers board the vehicles without any one searching them.
The crowding itself is of worry as most people appear oblivious of the risks they expose themselves to.
At the train station, the security searches are thorough as the passenger’s bags and luggage are thoroughly screened before one is allowed into the train station. This is done in the presence of armed police officers.
•Tom Mboya/Eastleigh:
The vehicles plying the Thika super highway through Baba Dodo, Limuru road, Parklands, Pangani, Juja road have beefed up security.
The ones plying Mwiki route, which was one of those targeted on Sunday have security marshals screening passengers before they board the buses.
The same is witnessed on the Eastleigh route, which has also been affected. The marshals are thorough and will not allow a passenger into the buses without being screened.
As it is with other stages the large crowd of passengers looks oblivious of the dangers.
• Ronald Ngala/Umoja Stage:
Commuter are jostling for the Ummoiner, a few City Shuttles buses, and fourteen-seater matatus at the Tusker stage.
There are a few checkups before commuter board the buses.
However this is casual as the crews often get distracted with touting allowing passengers to board without being screened. No one bothers inspecting luggage.
The commuters here are either too tired after the day’s hassles or oblivious of any risk they are exposed to.