So what are you doing about it?

Passenger: “Tafadhali punguza volume ya radio kidogo, iko juu sana”

Matatu tout: “Madam kama huwezi deal na hii volume shuka upande gari ingine.”

I am certain you have been a victim of this many times. Or maybe you have seen those stickers which say if the music is too loud for you then you are too old.

But wait hold that thought!

You have had a long day, all you need is to rest your head and if you have to, then listen to some soft music. You dream, your one desire is thwarted the moment you reach the bus station. The music from the matatus drives you crazy, you wish you could walk home, but you probably live in Rongai, so walking is not an option.

So you get in anyway, the moment you seat, your ears great numbed, and the beats of the loud music change the beat of your heart. You cry to God, at that moment you wish you had the ability to destroy the wires just by deeply staring at them, then you realise, that only happens in movies.

Oh wait! One more thing there are screens everywhere, screens of stuff you don’t want to see,

So you sit back and just wait for your miserable ride, just as the matatu conductor comes round to collect the  fare, you give him Ksh 70 because that is your everyday fare home then he says:

“Leo ni mia madam, ongeza 30”

Wait what just happened,  “Nikipanda gari ulisema Ksh 70, so imekuwaje 100 jameni.”

Madam kama hutaki kulipa useme tukushukishe hapa, (and before you know it he is hurling insults at you) So in silence you pay the extra Ksh 30

The music at this point is turning your stomach, the matatu is dingy and dark and probably has bedbugs irk! I hate bedbugs, so you are already in danger of carrying them to your house.

You realise that you have one more stop before you get home, and you feel some joy, because finally you can get off the mat. Before you know it, the matatu crew decides:

 “ Hapa ndio mwisho, kila msee ashuke, mwisho was gari”

"Whaaaaaaat! Tumelipa mia na haujatufikisha mwisho, bado lazima tutumie Ksh 20 ndio tufike

"Madam Hiyo sio shida yetu kama hamtaki kushuka tutarudi na nyinyi town"

So once again you swallow that painful lump of anger and step off the matatu as you seek to spend extra shillings to reach your destination

When you go upcountry you meet the worst matatu culture, ‘sambaza’

 Madam kalia hiyo sambaza, , or worst still madam kuna mtu anashuka hapo mbele dandia tu hapa kwa mlango utakaa huyu akishuka.

And we all just comply, and hang onto the matatu, well maybe because we are getting late or for whatever reasons. No matter how good the reason is, we are encouraging a horrible culture.

Every time all these things happens I ask myself do we know the power we hold in our hands, why do let people treat us so badly when we are actually paying for the service, why do we keep quiet when we can actually turn tables,

Photo courtesy: https://asktheniceguy.wordpress.com/2012/07/

One time my lecturer shared his experience with us, and at the point when they were told, shukeni tumefika mwisho, everyone was lamenting and complaining but they were actually getting off. He had to shout everyone sit down, and they all did, and he issued an order, hatushuki, hapa si mwisho, tumelipa na mtufikishe mwisho. Everyone almost clapped eventually the matatu crew actually took them to the final stop

Now this may seem ideal, but trust me it can happen, we wouldn’t have to entertain loud music or change in fares or insults or being dropped off at any point if we did something about it. I have seen it work, I have spoken, I was insulted in some instances but I passed a point across, well sometimes I realise it is just me so  I keep quiet,  because  many of us do not care, we are not bothered we are used to letting these guys have their way and it is a horrible culture because we fail to stand up for our children.

 If you use this one matatu blasting music everyday with your one year old for the next 10 years, then you are certain that you would have caused the child lots of damage

But oh well even as you read through, you are probably thinking about all the reasons why it can’t work, and that is the first undoing, with that attitude nothing will change, and yes I know you are just alone but hey  that could be all that’s needed for the safety of the future generations, You! Yes You:) 

Reminds me of Rosa Parks and the Montogmery Bus Boycott that lasted 381 days, you should read about it:)