African cities stinking, littered – a way of life

One of the things that is very conspicuous as you traverse the cities and towns in Africa is litter and garbage. However, as development and the so-called 'social wellness' are causing ripples across some African economies, things are brightening up.

It leaves so many questions begging for answers when I see, read and watch people's unbridled activities that are detrimental to the states of our towns, environmentally speaking.

Picture this. A car is speeding down a highway. A window is rolled down and a hand wantonly throws out, onto the busy highway, banana peelings and biscuit wrappers. If the occupants of twenty different cars do the very same thing in, say, three hours, what would be the state of the said highway? Appalling to say the least.

Picture all the highways in that city or town undergoing the same (in the three hours) what a city or town that would be! But, according to me, people have some "respect" for the roads so littering on the roads is not as bad as bad could be.

Our estates are the worst hit by this 'scourge'. Garbage disposal systems are just not working and if they are, then people don't even notice. Why? This is simply because we are the same ones who incapacitate their smooth running by our sick actions.

Few questions too many
• What is so hard with disposing off garbage in the rightful places & containers?
• What is so hard with doing the right thing at the right place (as far as garbage/litter is concerned)?
• Do we do the things we do because we like doing them or are we forced to?
• Do we really 'enjoy' living in insalubrious surroundings, our public image notwithstanding?

My opinion is that this is a typical African mindset. It is more a 'mental malady' than the lack of resources.
Sometimes we throw litter about, unknowingly (someone would say 'unconsciously' to mollify the guilt that goes with it!). We were born with it, in it and have grown into it.

So if we are to extricate ourselves from this state of affairs we have to redefine our systems. I suggest, too, that legislation that is more rigorous be put in place to nip this deleterious 'malpractice' in the bud.

We need cleaner cities and fresher air in our cities, towns and countries. And a pinch of manners to boot... Let's stop throwing papers, wrappers and peelings in all the wrong places. Save peelings for your farm and not the road! Do the guys attending the Africities summit in Nairobi catch the drift?

I am setting my sights too high, aren't I?