Matatu Matata

An important transport link but at what cost?

Classic Matatu Action in Nairobi

Nairobi moves by Matatu. Not buses or subway but rather a fleet of small vans almost exclusively manufactured by Nissan (though occasionally Toyota) that are diesel powered, seemingly indestructible and capable of carrying 14 passengers in complete discomfort.

Pictured above is likely 17 Transees or more jammed into the space the size of a bathroom.  And as is the case above, the "tout" hangs off the side as the pirate vessel assisting with negotiating the path to destination. The "tout" serves a very important function. He or she  (though rarely she)  takes the money and through various tactics tries to attract as many passengers as possible to his/her Matatu. It's a scene of constant chaos and confusion with the tout yelling,  horns hooting and  over-revved engines complaining with great gusts of black smoke that swirl ominously above.

Thanks to The Lion King most of the world is familiar with the expression Hakuna Matata!! Hakuna, the Kiswahili word meaning "There isn't any" and Matata meaning "problem". There isn't any problem declared Poombah as a philosophy for a happy life!
However, more common in Nairobi is the expression  Matatu Matata. In others words Matatus are a problem.


 The scene on the left is all too common on the streets of Nairobi. Every Matatu is a dented battle-scarred paint scrapped tin can with wheels splayed wearily looking for just one more rider. No significant rain means the vehicles last well beyond their useful life  making them unsafe even when parked by the roadside. On one day I saw 4 accidents during the 7 km trek to work. Each accident inevitably features the ubiquitous Matatu at the center of it all. A ticket will cost 30 to 60 bob which is roughly equivalent to CDN 40 cents to just under a buck for a long ride across town. An event as exciting as any 5 ticket ride at the fair though without the safety measures one would expect.

As they bump and grind their way from place to place like vultures trying in vain to imitate hummingbirds, vehicles and people are occasionally hit along the way. This is big problem as pedestrians are generally at fault and it's the walkers job to stay out of the way of vehicles unlike my experience in North America. Such are the realities of life in developing countries.

Related to this problem is that Matatus are often not held responsible for the mayhem they create. And why would this be? Well, commonly held beliefs are that the Saccos (groups of Matatus) are owned and operated by high-ranking members of the police force. Traffic violations are then overlooked, with accident investigations held at roadside and tending to focus on blaming the victim. 

So folks have had enough. Recently there has been a spate of vigilante justice where folks work cooperatively to flip the Matatu over, douse with kerosene and set on fire. That fixes that!!

The crowed environment inside a Matatu is another unique and interesting dynamic. As people squish into one another to reach their seats the perfect opportunities are created for thugs and pickpockets. Whether its extortion or theft, people have had enough and knowing the police will do nothing, the common response is to hold the perpetrator until the Matatu reaches a sufficiently high speed and then simply throw the offender from the vehicle. That fixes that!

I heard a story recently about a driver who was pulled over by police for no obvious reason. This means that a shakedown is inevitable. During the interview, the driver was able to produce everything that was required frustrating the officer greatly. Finally the officer said "where are your glasses"? "Well I don't wear glasses" declared the driver. "Ahhh" said the officer - "do you have a letter from your doctor to prove that "?.... commence shakedown....

 Who needs a Matatu when you have this cool dude!!!! Camels are so chill.

Without the nimble little Matatu, Nairobi would simply come to a standstill. It's a necessary part of the interrelated set of commercial mechanisms in developing countries and their major cities. At the same time, Nairobi's potential is fettered by Matatu Matata and other associated practices that are holding this beautiful country back. The solution is simple. Mass transit would solve the transportation problem but how do you take on a project as significant as mass transit given that corruption is not yet in the rear view mirrors of the city's multitude of Matatus. Wait... they have no rear view mirrors...Well there's always Camels!

Thanks for reading - Layno

A New Crew!!

Onwards!!!! in Africa

MSF (Doctors without Borders) teams from around the world came together to support demands for an independent investigation of the American/Afgan War Crimes in Kunduz.  The group above is the team I now work with in Nairobi. In the background you can see our fancy warehouse where we spend our time coordinating the supply and logistic requirements for Central Africa. This is a shiny brand new position for me and I am honored to be given this new responsibility. I will be working diligently with this highly skilled and dedicated team to ensure we get what is needed to the Docs in the field. The team responds to requests for supplies to address nutrition campaigns, immunization against disease, natural disasters and of course emergency medical aid for victims of conflict. From paper clips to Paracetamol.....we make it happen...and fast!!!

Recently my Mom, ever the voice of reason and philosophical probing in my life, talked about our organization and the lack of press. And when I think back to my life in Canada, Doctors without Borders was a collection of vague notions of bravery and good intentions in a world I knew too little about. (Maybe that's changing....MSF got a mention in the New James Bond movie Spectre. Now that is the big time!!)

But it was over a cup of coffee at the Port Renfrew Hotel with a stranger that I learned about the importance of the work being done. Starting with  a conversation about the motorcycles (of course) we were riding, we drifted toward discussion of his work with MSF - the suffering - the need for people to recognize the absence of real information about what is going on in some parts of the world. We sat for hours hunched over cups of coffee and talked in almost conspiratorial tones of the secrets and realities left untold or ignored. I was fascinated.

And my Mom is right (of course). The puzzle pieces of middle East/ African realities are scattered thoroughly. The press, try as they might, have little ability to gather all the flotsam and Jetsam and arrange into some kind of comprehensive offering. 

Even in his very festive Bow Tie Poncho looks sad.

And so here we are with a new tragedy before us. It reminds me of a cool morning on Sept 11 when a man stopped me on the jogging trail and told me that New York was under attack. I remember thinking that life has changed forever...and it had. I had the same feeling on November 13th when celebrating my 53rd birthday I had that same feeling. A brutal,barbaric and incomprehensible attack on the City of Love.

Is it the case that ISIS is the antithesis of our BBC/ Al Jazeera inspired sense of knowing the world around us?  When I think of the millions and millions of disenfranchised who suffer a near unimaginable daily existence, it starts to make sense to. The rules of war, The Geneva convention and a sense of fair play are not the playbook of future conflicts that are now clearly inevitable.

I promise to lighten up in my next Blog but it's a time for reflection. Our greatest institutions are not the Canadian Parliament Buildings, the Acropolis or even Madison Square Gardens in New Your City. They are the City of Love and the freedom to live as we chose. To protect those institution we may have to learn to share.....

My heart goes out to the people of France and my efforts to supporting the truly important institutions.

Thanks Lucy.... The Dino is short for Dinosaur by the way....Cow!

 Heading out for a morning Run at Karura forest with Sam. Thanks for Reading!!! Layno