The drive in from the airport

Although I've been to Kinshasa many times over the past decade I continue to be struck by the sheer number of people on the road after dark. That there seemed to be even more people on the road this time was attributed to the rain that evening. Many drivers preferred to avoid the heightened risk for accident in such weather. One can well understand that as you see cars with broken or missing windshields, vans without front or tail lights, deep potholes hidden by a mirror of water and few functioning street lights. In the somewhat better condition of roads in Yaounde I dislike driving at night. I detest driving on rainy nights.

With fewer vans on the road more people rely on their feet to carry them home. With little exception they were all heading away from the city center. The average walk was probably 7 to 8 miles. Many don't walk it though, they run. At first I thought the groups of 40-50 young men jogging by chanting marching songs were from a sports team. I've seen teams out running before, some dancing and shadow boxing like Rocky. But not tonight. These men were dress in street cloths, not training cloths. These were young men who work downtown, many of them work in the large market. They run not for exercise, but to cut their commute time. They join together for mutual encouragement for the long way home. Banded together, they become a force to be reckoned with on the streets. Whereas drivers here often act indifferently to individuals walking or running on the street, they drive with caution when approaching 40 young men chanting in unison. We came too close to one group spread over the road and they pounded on the van to serve as a reminder that we should give them their space.