Like Kampala and Kigali, Nairobi is seeing the emergence of the ‘boda-boda’ – the motorcycle taxi. Found mainly along the really intolerable stretches of Nairobi roads, they are almost all of Chinese origin (as opposed to the Indian bikes in Kampala).
It makes sense to use a motorbike to get through the interminable traffic in Nairobi. But the boda-boda is certainly not without its risks. Matatus (minibus taxis), in particular, pose a grave risk to the cycles and, so far, I have only seen motorbike accidents involving matatus.
The matatus seem prone to turn in front of the boda-bodas (or bump them off the road from behind), throwing the rider off and sending the bike spinning in another direction. Mercifully, so far, the riders I have seen have all been back on their feet (albeit limping) after the brief ordeal.
But there was one sad, and avoidable, fatality reported on radio the other day. It involved a young woman. She was recently from the salon and had refused to wear a helmet because it threatened her hairstyle.
She had died after a boda-boda skirmish with an unnamed (and guilty) vehicle, si jui gani (of unknown type).
The boda-boda driver was OK and was interviewed briefly:
“I am sorry for the madame. But she didn’t want to wear the helmet. Boda-boda na bara-bara (motorcycle taxis and the road) … Hatari sana (very dangerous!) Boda-boda users have to wear boda-boda hairstyles. And wear the helmet ... ” he said.
Thankfully, most riders here have sense enough to wear a helmet, even though it is generally not an enforced legal requirement.
But from my limited witnessing of these events, I would guess that at least the owners of the Chinese motorcycles are less likely to crash than Yamaha, Honda and Suzuki riders. Kwani (because why)? Simple really: It’s a statistical fact that when you push your motorcycle on the sidewalk a lot of the time, you are less likely to crash on the road! The Chinese bikes are notoriously unreliable.
Interestingly, I don’t recall seeing anyone pushing their cycles, in Kampala or Kigali ... I don’t recall seeing any accidents either. Maybe it has something to do with the Nairobi matatu’s style of driving more than anything else. They drive well, but 'reckless' ain't the word. It's the unkept state of the roads (due to the 'amazing disappearing road fund'), of course, that causes otherwise decent people to go just a little crazy on the blacktop.
Better roads = better behavior on the roads. Surely?
I hope so. Nairobi roads are getting better, eventually!
Amani na upendo.
B-)
