Five key lessons Nairobians can learn from Moscow city, Russia

Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has been under siege over the sorry state of Nairobi. This reporter was in Russia from May 12 to 19 for an atomic energy conference in Sochi. After the conference, he had a tour of Moscow and learnt a few lessons that Nairobi County and city residents can borrow.

Love of nature

Nature has always played a huge role in the lives of Russians, which was of course reflected in their literature.

It is difficult to find writers who describe the connection between people and nature in the way that Russian authors do.

During our tour of the town, I was able to discover that after every other office or residential apartment, there is a garden or small land for trees or flowers.

This helps reduce carbon emission, thus giving Russians healthy, fresh air to breathe. This is unlike Nairobi, where air is polluted by smoke from vehicles and industrial emissions.

On every street in Moscow, there is a truck that sprinkles water on the road and another that sucks dust everyday, making the roads sparkling clean. On the sidewalks, there is a huge plantation of birch trees.

Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko can consider increasing efforts to ensure wider tree coverage in Nairobi City to reduce carbon emissions.

Respect for rule of law

Russia has not banned plastic paper bags but I never saw a disposed paper bag anywhere. They practice good disposal, making the city clean.

Even hotels use non-disposable bottled water and not plastic ones. Even though plastic water bottles are sold, you will never see one thrown on the road or anywhere.

For your information, you will hardly see a traffic police officer controlling traffic. The motorists respect traffic laws and traffic lights and cameras are enough.

Another thing that pleased me is that pedestrians only use marked zebra crossing.

Word has it that if you break just one law in Russia, you will be fined dearly that you will never repeat the offence.

This is unlike Kenya where traffic laws exist only on paper and are broken at will.

Sonko should introduce such heavy fines in Nairobi to ensure that laws are obeyed.

Strong structures

This is evident on roads, railways, bridges and buildings. A friend who is also a lecturer from Kenya, and who has visited Moscow several times, said Russians build their structures to last more than 100 years.

In Kenya, contractors are known for using poor quality materials. Examples of such poor workmanship can be seen in collapsed buildings in Nairobi, one as recent as last week.

Good transport system

Russian transport system is among the best organised ones with trams, trains, taxis, aeroplanes, buses ? both electric and non-electric ? offering transport services, leaving residents spoilt for choice.

One of our hosts said she has no vehicle, not because she cannot afford one but because there is no need for it with the various means of transport to choose from.

The buses are so organised that they ply in intervals of 15 minutes, are mostly driven by ladies and mostly ride on the outer lane of the roads.

Maybe the national and county governments should consider doing away with 14-seater matatus and opt for such buses that carry many people, hence reducing traffic congestion.