Bobaboda operators wary of competition once national airline gets into motorcycle taxi business

Days after the national carrier announced intentions to enter the matatu business, boda boda riders have come out strongly to warn the national airline against venturing into their territory. The boda boda riders have expressed concern over their livelihoods as they expect fierce competition that might make it hard for them to survive seeing they don’t have the resources available to the carrier.

“The writing is on the wall... if Kenya Airways is now operating a bus service then it is only a matter of time before they invest in boda bodas,” said one motorcycle taxi rider. “If that happens our livelihoods will be under threat because it will definitely mean fierce competition that we might not be able to withstand.”

Some boda boda operators were not so diplomatic however in their opposition to the possible entry of the airline into the motorcycle taxi industry. Some vowed to mobilise their members into doing everything possible, including sabotage, to defend their turf from Kenya Airways.

“We will do all we can to protect our livelihoods from the big red bird. Why should we allow a big corporate to compete with us in this business of killing and maiming Kenyans when we are doing a good enough job?!” said one operator who spoke on condition of anonymity. “We are doing such a good job that even the most maniac and careless matatu drivers fear us. 5,000 years from now archaeologists will dig up boda boda wreckages and conclude we executed people by allowing ill-trained riders to carry people on badly-maintained and poorly-regulated motorcycle taxis,” he added.

Some business analysts have however said the riders have no reason to get worried because the carrier would run into a loss like with every other undertaking. This would then result in a round of playoffs that would see it eventually get out of the business.

“I would bet my mother that there’s no boda boda rider who has ever made billions of shillings in losses but I bet if KQ enters the sector, those are the figures that are likely to be hitting the headlines,” said the famous business analyst.

Though the national carrier denied it had any half-baked and poorly-thought out plans to enter the boda boda business, there were those Kenyans who admitted they would be thrilled if the national carrier KQ joined the sector as they hoped the move would help instil standards and restore sanity.

“As you already know the ‘KM’ in the motorcycle taxis’ registration plates stands for ‘Kill Me’ so KQ’s entry might change things by insisting on adherence of rules by its riders...” said one Nairobi resident. “As it is now even riders don’t wear helmets unless of course they are doing it as guise when they know there are irate husbands hunting for them for having affairs with their wives”

Not all Kenyans, however, would be supportive of KQ venturing into the motorcycle taxi business. The fear of some is that there would be a dramatic increase in the number of boda boda riders once KQ unveils its motorcycle fleet.

“It would obviously mean more operators and therefore more young men to fool around with anything in a skirt. Slowly, gains made in the education of the girl child would be reversed with many girls dropping out of school due to the prevalence of too many young men with raging hormones and some money,” quipped one wag.

“Plus there would be too many worn motorcycle tyres lying around with no one to recycle them. Motorcycle tyres cannot even make akala shoes, unless for dwarves, and they are not even enough to burn an adult thief in a mob justice scenario”.