Boda-boda association seeks audience in an ongoing probe by MPs

Parliament Buildings, Nairobi. [Elvis Ogina, Standard]

Boda-Boda Safety Association of Kenya has written to the Clerk of the National Assembly seeking to be heard in an ongoing sector probe by the Finance and National Planning Department Committee.

This follows a recent meeting with another association claiming to represent Boda Boda operators in the country.

In the meeting, the said association chaired by one Charles Gichira discussed with the Finance Committee the considerations of enacting regulations to guide the operations of the Buy-Now-Pay-Later (BNPL) credit providers, to protect boda boda operators from further exploitation by lenders.

According to reports, Gichira's association represents over two million operators in the country.

However, the Boda-Boda Safety Association claims that they are the legally registered association that handles boda-boda issues in the country.

According to Boba-Boda Safety Association chair Kevin Mubadi, they too should be given an audience to air their views on the matter.

Adding that their lack of representation will cause discontent among its members.

"We are deeply concerned that the parliamentary probe has been initiated without consultation with the legally registered association that handles Boda-Boda issues in the country, which I lead. It is disheartening to learn from media reports that the finance committee has met with individuals claiming to be the National Boda-Boda leadership, causing widespread discontent among the Boda-Boda leadership across 47 counties due to clear misrepresentation," said Mubandi.

Adding that: "We, therefore, conclude that whatever the team purported to represent from the Boda-Boda leadership is null and void and does not represent the true voice of the riders and its leadership, and the committee should reconsider the information."

The debate around the Buy-Now-Pay-Later (BNPL) follows concerns raised regarding the measures and mechanisms the government has put in place to regulate the activities of Buy-Now-Pay-Later (BNPL) credit providers in the country, including addressing rogue lending institutions responsible for violations of consumer' rights.