Sonko to fly out bodaboda riders, matatu operators for benchmarking in Rwanda

City Hall has now pledged to fly out 300 bodaboda operators, hawkers and matatu operators on a benchmark trip in Rwanda.

The trip is expected to inculcate better practice from the players in the three sectors by borrowing a leaf from Rwanda.

Nairobi County director of operations, Peter Mbaya yesterday said the trip will include 100 members from each sector to learn order in Kigali.

Speaking at a press conference at City Hall, the director was clear that the operators especially bodaboda riders will have to engage in self- regulation, if they are to continue operating in the Central Business District.

"The costs of the trip and learning exercise will be catered for by the County government. The benchmarking riverside will hopefully see translation of best practice from Rwanda to Nairobi, "said Mbaya.

Since time immemorial, hawkers and bodabodas have been engaged in frequent run it’s with the County authorities.

This is even as governor mike sonko is keen on delivering his post -campaign pledge to identify areas to house the traders who voted for him overwhelmingly.

Mbaya further spoke on the on-going demolition of illegal structures, saying that City Hall would issue timely notices to areas set to be demolished.

"We do not just demolish structures haphazardly. The County gives adequate notice before carrying out the demolitions. A notice of three months, a month and finally a 24-hour notice is issued," he emphasised.

Clogged drainage systems which are also a thorn in the flesh especially when it rains are also set to be repaired.

"We have engineers on the ground working to not only unblock the drainage but come up with lasting solutions to prevent the problem from re-occurring, "added Mbaya.

Last month, Governor Mike Sonko banned hawkers and bodaboda operators from operating in the CBD.

The clampdown, however, elicited mixed reactions among Members of the public forcing him to now use a more humane approach in addressing the issue.

Some of the complaints from the public were that the police and county askaris were using excessive force to remove women with children strapped to their backs from the streets.