Ethiopia Marks Car Free Day as Nairobians Brace for Real Walk to CBD

A week ago Nairobians were a bitter lot after decrying the County Governor’s directive not to have any matatu’s in the Central Business District. This had them walking a kilometer or two to get to their destination.

The Governor, Mike Mbuvi Sonko did call off the directive after calling Nairobians lazy and warning them that it was just a drill and they should prepare for the real deal. From the news and online feedback, Nairobians reaction reminded me of my school days when a teacher would demand that we run around the field for one reason or the other.

Things were quite different in Ethiopia where major roads were shut as the Health Minister Amir Aman led the country to walk in the capital, Addis Ababa as a tradition the country will now be marking in its annual calendar.

The Car-Free Day was held to promote healthy living and reduce pollution on roads that are usually jammed with traffic. Free health checks were also offered to those walking, a clear show of prior planning.

City dwellers in the World are known not to be in a habit of exercising and for Nairobians the case is not any different. The Governor’s idea of banning all matatus from the CBD has a silver lining but requires a clear thought out strategy.

The strategy will first have to incorporate terminals that can house most of the matatus to avoid the chaos witnessed on the roads during the ban which calls for the involvement of all relevant stakeholders.

Meanwhile, Kenyans continue to complain of having to walk a few kilometers while they still pay to enroll for gyms and lose sight that the city badly needs to de-congested.