Kindly Share>>
The morning started well and it was all systems go for a trip to Mombasa to attend a team building and bonding engagement in Mombasa, for the Optiven staff. And so, I left my house in good time to catch the SGR train. But I did not anticipate a serious traffic jam just a few kilometers to my destination.
Clearly, our Country’s economy is growing, (now standing at 5.8% according to ICEA Assessment management survey) A huge number of Kenyans are now motorized and every one seems to be in a hurry. Not many will give way nor respect the streets lights.
On the (positive) flip side, my Uber driver is keeping me busy on BBI discussions and how he perceived last evening’s NTV discussion that featured Kenya’s Deputy President.
The clock is now seemingly ticking fast! The traffic is bumper to bumper. Painfully slow.
It is now exactly 8:04am and I am aware that I only have 16 minutes to check in at SGR Nairobi station.
But we are stuck here at Gateway Mall. Despite the pressure of time, my eyes can still steal a glance at my friend Thiongo’s establishment, Mavericks Restaurant.
But there is no time to peep twice as my thoughts quickly shift to the opposite side of the road, which is like a car park. Zero movement.
My Uber driver instinctively advises me how I can cross over or just alight and take a boda.
For personal reasons and some past experiences, I fear the speed of boda bodas.
But this time, I badly need to catch the train. And so I gain some courage, as I get out of the Uber, cross over to the other side and get into one boda.
As I salute the boda ride, and despite the time constrain, I still have to urge him to be a bit slow but keep time. It is a catch 22 situation. Fear of speed versus my lateness.
Zoom!….The boda is now headed straight to SGR Nairobi station.
But not without drama. Everyone else is dashing to the station and at some point, some cars are driving too off the road. Some guy with Range Rover Discovery, despite almost brushing our shoulders is too arrogant to my ridder, literally pushing us off the road.
This ride certainly taught me some key lessons on the importance of boda bodas. I make a special appeal to all drivers to respect boda boda riders. You may need these riders as I did today. I thank God my rider did very well under pressure, plus he was also very hospitable all the way.
I believe that we can support these bodas in a better way, and more so respect them.
What else do you think should be done to these riders?
Tag anyone you know that owns a boda #HeshimuBoda