A wise man once said that necessity is the mother of invention, and this is exactly the situation Samuel Mbugua and Ben Karanja found themselves in when, after years of enduring long hours in Nakuru traffic to get to work, they decided to trade four wheels for two.

Mr Mbugua has been cycling to work since 2018, when he got his second bike after outgrowing his childhood mountain bike.

"Cycling has been remarkable for me, especially because I got my first bicycle for being the best student in my class. For me, cycling is a lot more convenient than taking a matatu to go to town," he says.

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Mr Mbugua was tired of sitting in a matatu for long hours in traffic, a situation made worse by the matatu's long stops at a bus stop while waiting for the vehicle to fill up with passengers.

Apart from the convenience, he describes cycling as a good way to connect with nature.

"I get to experience nature more closely than those who travel by car and not as slowly as those who walk, not to mention how therapeutic it is for me. I just love the thrill I get from cycling," Mr Mbugua explains.

The 27-year-old, who lives in Kiti, says he turns off the main road to cycle along the Menengai High School - Free Area cycle track, which is the only designated cycle track in the area.

Ben Karanja, 33, also cycles to work and commutes to different places on his bike.

Ben Karanja has been cycling to work to reduce his carbon footprint.

Photo credit: Purity Kinuthia/Mtaa Wangu

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"Cycling has given me the freedom to be the master of my own time, wasting time in traffic is a thing of the past for me," Mr Karanja says.

He has been cycling to work for eight years. He notes that cycling is cost-effective for him in terms of the amount of money he used to spend on transport.

He is part of a group of cyclists in Nakuru who are promoting cycling as a way of reducing carbon emissions.

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"I am a member of Critical Mass Nakuru and we have an average of 300 cyclists. With the addition of other cycling groups I belong to, the number can go up to 500. If more Nakuru residents choose cycling as their preferred mode of transport to work, we would be one step closer to reducing carbon emissions, which are also responsible for climate change," he said.

For those who want to take up cycling, Karanja advises that it is important to be aware and avoid collisions with other motorists, adding that it is important to wear protective gear such as a helmet, reflectors and have rear lights while cycling.

Karanja's plea to the County government would be for them to consider creating more cycling lanes in Nakuru or well-constructed pavements on the roads so that cyclists can use the roads more safely.

Wanjirukinuthia20@gmail.com

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