MY WEEKEND: Drama of policeman chasing pedestrian across city street

I am embarrassed to say that I was rooting for my fellow civilian, who was breaking the law. GRAPHIC| FILE| NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Also, if I am not wrong, pedestrians are prohibited from crossing the road at this point, and are supposed to use the footbridge up ahead.
  • But since we Kenyans believe that rules are made to be broken, and with impunity, and because we love shortcuts, we prefer to dash across the wide road, death be damned, after all, it will get us to our destination faster.

A couple of days ago, I witnessed an amusing incident. Nowadays, when I come across something even mildly funny, I soak it up to the last drop because it seems life currently has very few good tidings to offer, going by the bad news we in the media keep reporting.

It was about 8am and I was on University Way in the CBD, about to go into the University of Nairobi, when I spotted this man who had just alighted from a matatu and was waiting to cross the road.

Vehicles joining this road from Uhuru Highway normally barrel down the multiple lane road with determined single-mindedness, probably trying to make up for the time lost in the perpetual traffic that clogs Uhuru Highway all day long.

This is, therefore, a very tricky spot from which to cross the road.

Also, if I am not wrong, pedestrians are prohibited from crossing the road at this point, and are supposed to use the footbridge up ahead.

But since we Kenyans believe that rules are made to be broken, and with impunity, and because we love shortcuts, we prefer to dash across the wide road, death be damned, after all, it will get us to our destination faster.

But I was telling you about the man who had just alighted from a matatu. Just as he dashed across the road, trying to outdo the speeding cars, a policeman who had been standing on the pavement with a colleague suddenly ran after him.

For some reason, halfway across the road, the man, who was carrying a brown A4 envelope, looked behind him and saw the policeman in hot pursuit.

He must have known that he was committing an offence because he increased his speed, determined not to get caught. He managed to get to the other side safely, with the policeman still in pursuit.

WATCHED THE CHASE

By then, the chase had caught the attention of Nairobians, and you know how we are when we come across such out-of-the-norm scenes — we stop everything we are doing and gawk. I was no different. I promptly forgot the business that was taking me to UoN and stopped to see how the chase would end.

I am embarrassed to say that I was rooting for my fellow civilian, who was breaking the law.

My highly imaginative mind assumed that the brown envelope he was clutching in his right hand as he sped further away from the Central Police Station contained his CV and academic certificates, which he was to present at a job interview he had been invited to attend at 9am that day.

Getting arrested would certainly have denied him what could have been a long-awaited job opportunity. And so I cheered him on in my mind, though others around me were not as discreet — they were visibly cheering him on.

The policeman, whose only weapon was a pair of handcuffs hanging from his belt, finally gave up the chase, to the jubilation of those who had been watching the unexpected movie-like scene.

Huffing and puffing, the policeman, who obviously had a sense of humour because he was smiling broadly, made his way back to the other side of University Way, where the colleague he had been standing with was waiting for him, laughing his head off.

His amused colleague gave him a hearty handshake for his spirited effort, you know, those ones that men give one another, the ones that shake the entire body from head to toe. “Umejaribu bwana, umejaribu...” his friend consoled him, still laughing loudly. (You tried my friend, you tried.)

Now you know, you law breaker reading this, there is a determined policeman chasing pedestrians who disregard the footbridge at University Way.  

 

 

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FEEDBACK

I was amused by your article which reminded me of a burial last week on the outskirts of Nakuru town. Exhibitionism seems to be a recurring theme nowadays, just like you pointed out. I don’t understand why we need to show anyone who cares to notice that we have better clothes, cars and so on. The need to compete and be better off than our friends and acquaintances, beats me.

“Fake it till you make it” seems to be a mantra highly observed by everyone, since we keep putting on a show that’s not there. The facade can’t last long. Little wonder that we incur huge debts to service all this charade to appear as if we’ve “arrived”.

The line separating social media lifestyle and reality has never been as blurred as it is now. People are having a hard time sieving the two and it’s only a few who can afford to live that lifestyle. The rest have to fake it till they make it.

The power of social media, or should I say technology, is immeasurable.

Thanks for what you do and may God continue giving you insights that entertain us every week. 

Chris

Thank you for having the courage to point out the rot within ourselves. I’ve witnessed funeral meetings where participants are encouraged to outdo a previous funeral ceremony! Really? Or a couple that spent a year attending wedding ceremonies to “steal” ideas with the sole intention of trying to impress the guests in theirs. 

Gad 

Hallo there. As usual, an inspiring article. This is it. In occasions such funerals and weddings, try as much as possible not to attract attention. It’s not your ceremony.

Maina