Dear World,
Today is one of those days following a heavy downpour. I discovered a short-cut to the office that allows me my minimum requirement of 30 minutes of exercise daily (read:brisk walking) and so I have been getting to work in better time than most people because: one, God has been gracious enough to ensure it never rains while I am leaving the house in the morning and two, I don’t have to deal with the unpredictable traffic. If anything, I will stare at you sheepishly if you start telling me about how bad the traffic jam was and how unfair the traffic police are, etc.
But where there is smoke there is fire and where there is rain there is mud. Add to this fact, a setting in Nairobi, narrow estate roads, different contractors on two roads of close proximity, and you have a royal mess. This is what I am referring to as the Mara Road Madness. Having grown up in Upperhill area – a lovely, serene and book-worm friendly zone – it saddens me to see all the construction that is stealing away her homely reputation. The fact is that Upperhill is rapidly growing into the next biggest business hub in the capital. Remember that saying about aging gracefully? I like to believe that it should apply to the road construction along Mara Road which has taken a road south; towards Hades, that is. The road that previously allowed me to walk to the Kenyatta National Hospital in precisely 7 minutes, is now a small swampy mud pie with mounds of rock and earth on either side of the road. Guests at the office complain about the damage the wicked state of the road has caused their cars and I am left smiling politely and saying, “We hope it will be over soon.” I’m beginning to sound like a broken record for sure.
When the beautiful African sun awakens during the hot seasons, the dust devils that leave various films of dust on our desks and floors become impossible. Then come the occasional coughs and sneezing. Did I mention that none of us has allergies? Well, at least not yet.
So if anyone reading this can soeak with the movers and shakers around Upperhill area, and specifically the people in-charge of the road construction, kindly let them know that we have had enough. I experienced the construction of the superhighway along Thika Road and so I know that there is a better way other than rendering roads impassable.
It’s cliche, but teamwork is often the way to go. Fix small portions at a time, put your back into it and return the lost glory to Upperhill as soon as it is humanly possible to do!
sogugu 