Emerging markets....emerging traffic and thugs

Today , while I was enjoying one of those pleasant traffic jams on my way to visit a client, I suddenly realized that there is a lot of meaning attached to the word emerging because of the fact that we live and work in just that : an emerging market country. Let me explain. Before I do that though, I need to clarify that I do tend to be positive in mind and speech. You will therefore not easily hear me talk about 3rd world countries. We are emerging markets. That is what we are. We are not 2nd or 3rd class citizens. We are emerging. In all meanings of the word.

Because we are an emerging market, poverty is still very much present. As a consequence , only a few ( the lucky ones like me and a few friends of mine) enjoy the luxury of a car. All the others are on foot to work or elsewhere. Or in matatu's. Now, those mat's (as we call them with spite in our voice) have that one specific characteristic : they ...emerge...from everywhere!

Even from the footpath and of course form the inner lane on the roundabout to go straight.

You get my drift ? Ok. Next one then.

Driving on the middle lane on Mombasa Road, I was overtaking a slow truck. Suddenly I knew why the truck was slow. Because what emerged from the left lane ? One of those manually (and feet-ly) pulled wooden-doors on wheels. They should not be there !Merging into traffic as they do. Because when they do, they endanger not only themselves but also the motorized vehicles who tend to thunder past them. Not in the least the emerging mats. Ever seen them emerge from the top of Upper Hill. Fully loaded with potatoes or god-knows-what. They cant be there ! But....those people need to make a living. And they don't have a car. And they can't afford a "mat"

Because this is an emerging market.

Another one. In recent weeks a few people have been killed by thugs when they parked along the side of e.g. Uhuru Highway when their car has stalled. Those thugs emerge from tunnels under the road when they see a potential victim. They emerge from there because they have no other way to get an income than to steal and to kill. Its because we live in an emerging market.

It's clear to me. We need an emergency plan. Not a 2030 plan. Because we have to attend to too many emergencies.

All the time....emergency 911.