Nairobi News

Man of his word. Sometime back Governor Evans Kidero hit the headlines when he threatened to sack some county executive members whose dockets were performing poorly, Jack Bayuka pointed out. He said that he recalled clearly that among others the officers in charge of garbage collection and water distribution were given a one-month ultimatum to deliver much needed services.

“By my count a month has already lapsed. The services have not improved. If anything, the announced water rationing programme will ensure more people are pushed to the services of water vendors out to exploit Nairobians,” said Bayuka. He challenged Dr Kidero to prove that he was a man of his word by sending the officers home.

******

Discriminate Nairobians. Denis Kopus, would like to see most of Nairobi’s residential associations deregistered. He said he was convinced that they wielded a lot of power and the officials that run them were infringing on people’s constitutionally guaranteed rights in the name of enforcing their by-laws.

“Any association that takes upon the role of determining who uses a public road and also how much they pay should be disbanded,” he said adding that all Kenyans had a right to free movement. Kopus said some officials were misusing their power to discriminate against Nairobians, to ensure that some areas were accessible only to people from a certain class. “We are all equal before the law and no one should look down on me,” he said.

******

Neck-break. Susan Oluoch said she was banking on the National Transport and Road Safety Authority directive to matatu Saccos with less than 30 vehicles to merge or dissolve to ensure that sanity was restored on the Buruburu route. Susan said it was one of the most chaotic even though it had a few matatus.

“The vehicles are few and are therefore driven at neck-break speeds to make as many trips as possible,” she said adding that the drivers were notorious for weaving between traffic. Susan however felt that the authority should have also put as a condition of their continued operation the removal of their eardrum shattering speakers. “If people want to go to discos they can do so,” she said.

*****

Scary touts. The matatu Saccos that ferry passengers to Kikuyu and use the stage on Tom Mboya Street would do better to hire touts who don’t scare away customers, said Belinda Kibe. She noted that the men and women who call people to board the vehicles were almost always drunk, dirty and some even looked like they were involved in a fight and received more punches than they gave.

“When someone comes to you looking like that with his breath reeking of alcohol, you automatically start having doubts that the matatu will get you where you want to go,” said Belinda. “In times like this when carjacking is the order of the day, such touts do more harm than good to their employers,” she added.

Write to The People’s Champion at nnchampion@ke.nationmedia.com