Crowded shops, matatu shortage, mark Christmas holiday in Nakuru city
A traffic snarl up was witnessed for the better part of the day at Mashambani stage on December 21, 2023.
As you walk through town, you can feel that the spirit of the Christmas holiday is slowly creeping in among the residents.
As you walk through Kenyatta Avenue, you meet traders already selling Christmas ornaments and merchandise, taking advantage of the business principle of timeliness, selling what is required at the right time.
Residents are flocking the famous retail shops in town trying to get the famous Christmas clothes that they will wear during Christmas day. One would think that the year has been hard financially, but from the large number of people in this shop this clearly is not the case.
Nakuru residents flock clothes shops in the city centre on December 21, 2023.
Nakuru is located in the central part of the country. From Nakuru, you can make your way to any part of the country. This therefore means that the transport sector reaps big and cam be seen as you walk across the numerous bus terminus in Nakuru.
In some places, you find that the boards that indicate where the buses are going have been placed on the ground as there is a shortage of matatus.
Some of the matatu sign boards placed on the ground to indicate shortage of matatus plying said routes on December 21, 2023.
Speaking to one of the drivers at the terminus, he says that during this period the shortage of cars is common.
“You may arrive at the bus terminus at 8 a.m, wanting to board a matatu to Kisii and you go ahead to book a matatu, but then the matatu you are supposed to board will be leaving Kisii at the time or you will be told the car you are waiting for is at Salgaa en route to pick you up” he said.
He also added that due to the shortage, they also borrow cars that ply the Town service to travel the long-distance routes.
Passengers wait for a vehicle at Mashambani stage on December 21, 2023.
Moving into the supermarkets, you can truly feel the holiday spirit with all the decorations. Most of them have Christmas carols playing in the background and a large number of people trying to get the last-minute shopping in before the holidays.
As night falls, you get to see all the night decoration from some of the buildings that are in the city centre, not forgetting the Christmas trees that have been erected in most buildings in the spirit of Christmas.