Inclusive and Sustainable Public Transportation in Nairobi

Abstract

Public transport is a service rendered by the government to its citizens for moving people and goods from one point to another. Sustainable transport refers to systems of transport whose impacts are environmentally and socially acceptable. Sustainable transport is ideally a system that is beneficial to the community environmentally - low- and zero-emission, economically - affordable modes of transport and socially – accessible to everyone. Firstly, a sustainable public transport system is environmentally just when the system endeavours to reduce the amount of Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG) emissions being emitted into the atmosphere. It is reported that globally transportation systems account for approximately 25% of carbon dioxide emissions and world energy consumption. Secondly, it is socially just when it is readily available and is able to cater for the need of the vulnerable in society such as the elderly, Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), children, and even women. Thirdly, it is economically just when the system does not lead to the government losing huge chunks of money due to time lost in traffic congestion, being affordable to commuters, and saving them time. Therefore, Public transport is ideally a public good and should be a public service to the citizens of a country just like education and health. The Kenyan Road-based public transport system is not really a public transport but rather a profit-making private transportation business that serves the transportation needs of the society.