Spitting in public is a disgusting habit, right? And the fact that it’s a common habit among Rwandans is another thing we can’t deny. Kigali’s taxi parks are a bit congested, especially in the evenings, and it requires unusual physical flexibility because you will need to dodge frequent flying globs of saliva. And trust me, wishing that perhaps some divine power turns the globs mid-flight and flings them back in the faces of the morons responsible, is what comes to your mind immediately. What these people don’t know is that the mucous membranes in their saliva could be carrying diseases like Tuberculosis (T.B) or Influenza, therefore causing a health risk to the public. The World Health Organisation (WHO) lists spit, as one of the ways in which T.B spreads, in case you didn’t know. Besides the health risk, it’s just nauseating to not only watch the saliva glob resting somewhere, but also people trampling on it. Just imagine getting into some one’s living room only to tread on a spit stuffed carpet? Pretty disgusting right?I am not saying people should always hold up whenever they are overwhelmed by the need to spit, but at least do it in a handkerchief or tissue for example. That is safer and more civil.Singapore, China, and parts of Chicago, have gone ahead to ban the habit of spitting in public, citing its disease risk and the fact that it’s socially unacceptable. So, how great would it be if we followed suit? It would avert some of these health risks, and save the country’s image too.
