Time to decongest because a megacity cannot ride on matatus, boda-bodas alone

By every measure, this week started on a very dramatic footing in Nairobi. On Monday, an edict by the city emperor came to effect barring matatus from the city centre as a belated decongestion mechanism.

City folks trekked, panted and lamented. Some faulted Mr Mbuvi Sonko while others exalted him. I was one of those who hailed the city father at least for his boldness and cognisance that the choked CBD is crying for sanity.

The only trouble is he did not think through it adequately to afford a seamless transition hence the debacle. The city executive admitted as much — honourably so.

Though the ban was lifted, the writing is on the wall. Time is up for the matatu regime, as we know it.

The governor should also crack harder on boda-bodas, which are reckless, dangerous and barbaric. Indeed, the solutions of 70s and 80s have no place in a metropolis of the future like Nairobi.

ECONOMY

The trouble with the city’s public transport is not just congestion. The sector is nasty and brutish.

This anarchy has seen women raped, pedestrians crushed between matatus, and grisly accidents occasioned by bloodshot-eyed matatu crew.

Further, the unreliability of our transport is legendary as is the lack of decency. The sheer state of our city transport adds fatigue and occasions loss of massive man-hours and business opportunities.

Such is not good for any economy. That is why a total overhaul is required. Fast.

But it is not going to be a cakewalk. In any case, experts have always shared their solutions.

Matatu business is big and in the firm grip of cartels, entangled in politics and with law enforcers.

Thus to revamp the system one requires mettle, focus, and commitment from commuters, state, county government, urban planners and other key stakeholders.

Expect some pain. But then, as they say, you cannot have omelette without breaking the egg.

LIGHT RAIL

Strategic planning, financing and speed of execution is key; that is what is expected of the Nairobi Regeneration Committee and the county government appreciating the larger Nairobi metropolis transcends CBD.

One of the solutions would be to lay out concession roads and establish a robust Public Private Partnership (PPP) to establish light rail and introduce the Philippines’-invented Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) systems.

A PPP model will save the county and the state the headache of financing and running the transport services.

Nairobi can learn a lesson or two from Bogota, Colombia. A friend, the other day, mused from Bogota that it once was filled with small sacco-like transport enterprises.

Then in 2000, a system named TransMillenio drove to town riding on the principles of BRT. The buses were customised to haul about 270 at a go. It was a spectacular success.

Interestingly for us, the best we could do was to pour money (lipstick) on Thika Road for BRT. It was a false start.

The paint has paled. Such mickey-mouse approach will not solve anything.

TRAINS

Indeed, if we were serious by now Nairobi should be light years ahead with a light train network.

The beauty of trains is they are terrific for their prowess in mass volumes, distance, safety and predictability. A train network interlacing the city and suburbs will dramatically cut corruption, congestion and accidents.

Our neighbours Ethiopia should be an inspiration. I once used the Addis Ababa light rail and the experience was spectacular.

The rail has dramatically changed the transport architecture of a city that is on an overdrive of growth.

Oftentimes, you do not need a private car to go to work. Such is what Nairobians are craving for.

Financed and built by the Chinese at a cost of $475 million, the electric system skirts Addis on a 34-kilometre stretch. Typically, it carries about 60,000 commuters everyday.

The trains are on schedule, they are clean and fare is heavily subsidised, costing about Sh10 a trip.

TECHNOLOGY

For a quick win though, as the grand plans take shape, Nairobi should unveil subsidised shuttle services from drop-off points like Ngara to the city centre.

On another gear, the city should tighten security; augment street lighting and construct massive pedestrian and cyclist paths. Such is the city of the future.

The city of the future must be fully integrated with technology to enable reliable transmission to real time information through apps.

Technology will help a great deal to manage human and vehicle traffic. If properly deployed, technology will help beat insecurity and congestion. But then we must invest in it.

And the matatu industry has to reinvent itself for the future. Part of it is for saccos to seek investments in professionally run ventures like BRT or trams. Change is coming and will smash anyone reliant on rudimentary models.

Nairobi, a megacity of the future that will be home to about 14 million people in the next 30 years, cannot ride on the matatu alone. It requires a robust integrated transport system whose implementation should start rolling now.

Mr Wamanji is a public relations and communications adviser ([email protected]; twitter @manjis)