Bus Stops Overwhelmed as Students Return to School
On Tuesday morning, residents of Nairobi experienced a challenging commute as they were stranded for hours at various bus stops.
The situation was particularly difficult for parents who were taking their children back to school after the half-term break. Many students dressed in school uniforms flooded the estate bus stops, waiting for transportation to the Central Business District (CBD).
Matatu driver, Simon Kamau, who operates on Jogoo Road, explained that the situation arose because most students were returning to school after the break, and the heavy traffic snarl-up only made things worse.
The morning rush caused chaos, with many people trekking on either side of Jogoo road after waiting for hours to catch a matatu to town. The matatus charged double the usual fare, which left many people unable to afford transportation and stranded for hours.
Kennedy Odiwuor, for example, usually pays Sh50 from Kayole to the CBD, but on Tuesday, he had to pay Sh100, which he couldn’t afford, so he had to wait until much later.
Some parents had to take bodabodas (motorcycles) to get their children to the Railways Bus station on time as they had booked a bus to travel to their schools in the upcountry.
Mama Mary, for instance, opted for a bodaboda ride to the station, paying Sh400, because she knew she would miss the bus if she waited for the matatus.
The morning rush was caused by the reopening of schools on Tuesday, following a delay from the previous day due to demonstrations that occurred in various parts of the country.
Despite the delay, the situation was still chaotic for residents who had to commute to work or take their children back to school.
Bus Stops Overwhelmed as Students Return to School
