Some things beat the sense of reason and logic. The past three weeks have seen the recrudescence of some of these things and events in Kenya.
Matatu operators have had a field day and have fleeced 'innocent' Kenyans of their hard-earned cash. Maybe these individuals think that Kenyans 'reap' money from trees and that we are very happy, even elated, to part with this 'scarce' commodity to satiate their latent whims.
Matatu fares these past weeks have been too astronomical as to be logical. In fact, they seem to have jumped off a Hollywood film script.
When I asked one of these Matatu operators the reason for this daylight robbery, he threw me a threatening look and blurted, rather annoyingly: "Ni sikukuuu, wewe huelewi!" (This roughly translates to mean: It is celebration time and you surely ought to know how things work with us guys round about this time of the year! )
However, unlike what most Matatu operators 'believe', Sikukuu is not for Matatu operators only, it is for all Kenyans to celebrate and be happy (with no one taking advantage of anyone). Christmas is a time of giving and showing love and Jesus, whose birth we celebrate during Christmas, does not stand for fleecing but for liberation. Someone please drum this into the heads of these Matatu guys.
Few of us guys have come out of this quagmire unscathed. What with the 'unthinkable' sugar prices, rising fares and 'servicing' of Christmas and New Year celebration costs. We are smarting from these goings-on and the injuries are far-reaching.
Kenyans are crying out to their government angling for respite.
i) Can a Fare Regulatory Body be established to make sure that passengers are not charged unfair fares?
ii) Can something be done about the price of sugar? Tea is becoming more expensive by the day!
2 comments:
Matatus, a nescesary evil. So long as we have corrupt police officers, we are stuck with the cartels and whatnot and pay for their upkeep. :-(
Happy new year, Ritch.
And that sugar thing, price regulation should be brought back. Traders are just hoarding the stuff. I wish that Fare Regulatory Body be established and hope it does not go the way of the TLB.
Aegeus,I agree with you to a point. But, I reckon, Kenyan Traffic officers are less corrupt these days: I hope you'll agree with me. Anyway, I hope this fare thing will find a lasting solution to.
Happy New Year to you, Aegeus.
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