flung destinations such
as the United States and Canada. Also, a debate is underway in
government for a plan to add add a second runway at the airport.
However, this idea has not yet been ratified and approved by the Cabinet
of the Kenya government.
Wilson Airport is a smaller and busy
general aviation airport located in a south-central suburb of Nairobi.
It handles small aircraft that generally operate within Kenya, although
some offer services to other East, Central and North-east African
destinations.
Eastleigh Airport was the original landing strip in the
pre-jet airline era. It was used as a landing point in the 1930s and
1940s British passenger and mail route from Southampton to Cape Town.
This route was served by flying boats between Britain and Kisumu and
then by land-based aircraft on the routes to the south. The airport is
now a military base.
Matatu
Matatus are the most common form of
public transport in Nairobi. Matatu, which literally translates to
"three cents for a ride" (nowadays much more) are privately owned
minibuses, and the most popular form of local transport, and generally
seat fourteen to twenty-four. Matatus ama (or) mathree operate within
Nairobi and from Nairobi to other towns. The matatu's destination is
imprinted on the side of the bus, and matatus plying specific routes
have specific route numbers. Matatus were easily distinguishable by
their extravagant paint schemes, as owners would paint their matatu with
various colorful decorations, such as their favourite football team or
hip hop artist. More recently, some have even paintedBarack Obama's face
on their vehicle. They are notorious for their poor safety records,
which are a result of overcrowding and reckless driving. Matatu drivers
are pressured to make as many round trips as possible to maximize
profits for their operator. Due to the intense competition between
matutus, many are equipped
