Your turn is coming soon, CS tells bodaboda riders

Bodabodas at Butere market in Kakamega County on Nov 2nd, 2018. [Chrispen Sechere, Standard]

Boda boda riders have until January 31 next year to comply with traffic regulations or face consequences.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i Friday said a taskforce will be formed to give directions on how to restore sanity in the sector.

He said representatives of the boda boda business will also be involved in setting up of the regulations.

“From February 1, they will be operating under a new regime. Let them prepare now and send their representatives to agree on the conditions,” he said.

Crime and drugs

The CS accused the operators of acting with brutality and aiding crime, saying the practice has to change. “Some have been aiding criminal activities; distributing drugs at night. They have decided to be law unto themselves. It has become a monster that if we don’t act, we will lose our society,” he said.

“They have become unruly. They operate like mafia, when there is an accident involving one of them, they all come and burn the vehicle without seeking to know how it all happened,” he added.

Matiang’i also said many people have become victims of motorbike accidents, prompting many hospitals across the country to set up special wards to treat casualties.

“If we don’t act now, it will be difficult in future. I am informed that there are 700,000 boda bodas and the number can go to one million by the year 2020. You know the trouble that will come with the number,” he argued.

The CS spoke on Friday at the Kenya School of Government during a road safety measures implementation meeting.