Nairobi city’s traffic is now a shopping mall for drivers

Traffic jam in one of the city streets. The mess provides an opportunity for motorists to buy goods from hawkers.[File, Standard]

Silas Irungu, or ‘Boza’ as he’s commonly referred to, is busy running up and down University Way holding knives, power banks, car chargers and even FM Simulators. It is barely 8am but his body is drenched in sweat from the constant back and forth as he looks for customers in traffic.

He keeps staring at the traffic lights, hoping and praying that they could take another five or more minutes before they turn green and the vehicles start moving again.  Luckily, he gets a customer who buys one of his chargers for Sh1,500 but before he is handed his money, the lights turn green and the motorist speeds off.