The Kenya we want

There's a stretch of road along the Thika-Nairobi highway i like to call 'The Kenya we want'. A befitting name since it reminds me of why we are along way from getting rid of corruption and other vices in our country.
On this particular day my journey begins at 6.00 in the morning. The first road block is a mere 5min after alighting the 'matatu,' a visitor might be awed by our very dedicated officers. The matatu is half empty and after a small discussion with the concerned officer and promise of something in the afternoon we're on our way. At the next stage customers are in plenty and the unoccupied seats soon fill up. The matatu stops again to pick some more passengers. All the seats are occupied and we exchange knowing glances as the new passengers join us and are handed a piece of board commonly known as 'sandwich.' We shift as is required to to make room for our seat mates.
My hands are getting numb, the seat supposed to be occupied by three people now has four. I haven't moved in the past half hour and the pressure on my sides is becoming too much. I sigh with relief at the sight of another road block ahead..the conductor throws a look ahead and continues to look collecting fre not in the least concerned. The driver removes Kshs.50 from his pocket, folds it with expertise. The matatu slows down and an officer approaches the driver's window. A handshake and pleasantries are exchanged, the speed of the matatu picks up, the driver and conductor laugh at how easy it was and plot how to skip next time
"Officer Mabaya hana shida, sasa ni hadi jioni." the driver says
(Officer Mabaya has no problem now its up to evening.)
The third roadblock is exactly 2.6km from the second. My hands have lost all feeling from being too squeezed. I look at my neighbour and attempt to smile, and fail. The matatu stops, this time the officer asks for the license, legal you may think but the driver has folded a Kshs.100 inside. The officer takes the licence, moves around the matatu touching this and that. At the conductor's window he pause wags a warning figure and returns the license telling them that next time they won't get off this easy.
We stop some minutes later to drop off some passengers. We still have 3 excess passengers. There is an unussually high number of matatus stalling and the conductor moves out to find out why. There is a road block ahead, he is told and this time the officers are clean or as they say 'their hands can not be washed.'
One of the drivers suggests a short cut through one of the villages. Of course they will have to pass through a certain village. At this the conductors fish into their pockets. The village in questions is controlled by a gang called 'mungiki'. For safe passsage each matatu has to part with Kshs.200. This is the cheaper option the driver argues, to pass through the road block the matatu should be in good condition and meet all the requirements set by the ministry. Failure to adhere means that the matatu will be towed and retrieving it will cost more than Kshs.5000.
This is the a growing culture of impunity where traffic police filled with greed are accepting tokens from rogue matatu owners and drivers who do not want to adhere to traffic rules and standards set by the ministry of transport for public service vehicles.
I am immensely relieved when i reach my destination. I stumble out of the matau and stretch my arms grateful for the space.
* * *
The journey back is largely uneventful. Once again the seats are packed beyond capacity. Our seat has five people. The conductor spots a road block ahead and tries to squeeze himself between us. I click in irritation, how hard is it for a policeman to spot five heads in a seat meant for three. Apparently, the sentiment is not shared when the officer peeps in through our window and asks
"is everything all right."
The conductor nods passing along a 'bamba' and we are on our way. I sit there astounded at how five people on a seat can go unnoticed and pray that we reach safely. Some passengers enter the matatu complaining loudly. A middle aged woman sits next to me lamenting
"we've been on the road for hours and they don't even have the courtesy to tell us the matatu has a problem."
At our first stop the matatu drops one passenger and picks three more ignoring the fact that all seats are occupied. Complaints from some passengers are largely ignored and the few persistent ones are asked to get out or buy their own cars.
May be its true what they say: you only see what you want to see.
Using the remarks of the lady seated next to me, " i don't blame the conductors or even the traffic police for being corrupt, i blame the passengers who see that all seats are occupied and still enter the matatu."
Corruption is not only when our leaders embezzle public funds, it is when we engage in activities we know are not right and want to get away with it. It is when you as a driver are putting a price on the lives of the passengers you are carrying. Corruption is when you are asked for a bribe and you give it.
The Kenya i want is where people are ready to put aside their selfish interests and work for the advancement of our nation. It is a place where we refuse to put a price to principles and virtues. It is a place where people have respect for each other. It is a place where i don't have to use shortcuts to evade the law because we are the law and the law is us.
The kenya i want is a place where we learn from our mistakes and refuse to be tied down by our shortcomings.
My kenya is a place where we are family and unity if not just a word, it is what we are!
N.B matau is the common mode of transport used by many people in kenya
Bamba is slang for Kshs.20 or Kshs. 50