Writing is now my new hobby(cheers! whistles!). I have finally found a useful and inexpensive way to entertain myself during non-working hours. Yes, writing IS entertaining. Taxing on the brain too. All I need is to carry around a good biro and an A4 exercise book. Lovely!
Below I have posted the first product of my hobby. This one was born in a cafeteria downtown on Moi Ave. Enjoy.
Anti-Citizen City
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There's something wrong with Nairobi. Having lived here most of my life I would know. It pains me to see things this way so I'm taking pains to explain.
Cities continue to exist primarily due to the economic activity that takes place in them. Most companies worth their salt have at least one branch and/or headquarters in them. With the high concentration of people living and walking around it makes sense if you are selling merchandise or services to have a presence.
This said, I am appalled at the measures taken to ensure a thriving business environment. For starters there are fewer and fewer places where one can relax without spending money. The metal railings outside some buildings that were once sat on by tired pedestrians taking a breather are now covered in spikes. The message portrayed being "We have no room for idle bottoms here!" Just in case your backside is sturdier than most, there is a stone-faced askari hovering nearby to urge you to take your 'diab' and place it elsewhere.
"But there's Uhuru Park..." you say. True, and its pretty well spruced up nowadays by the way, but suppose you are exhausted on the opposite end of the CBD (like Moi avenue), it surely makes no sense trudging all the way just to take a rest; you'd probably die en-route. Jeevanjee Gardens? Let's not even go there. Literally. Unless you enjoy listening to preaching done at a volume that should be outlawed.
What's worse about this whole affair is that the Nairobi City Council is in on the racket too. The recent and almost rabid upgrade of the city, though commendable, has it's dark spots. Consider those large green cement flowerpots that have been installed in various places. They aren't an eyesore; it's just that they have a really unfriendly sign on them : "DO NOT SIT ON FLOWER POT." Hmmph! With all the taxes we pay willingly or otherwise, you would think we have a right to sit on a public flowerpot now and then.
---I've edited out the last part of this article because it seemed disjointed. Not sure what I'll put in there but for now that's the end. >11-09-10
