Tax stand-off as boda boda riders defy county call to pay

A boda boda rider ferries a man pulling a hand cart along the Kisii -Nyamira highway. [Sammy Omingo, Standard]

A simmering dispute over tax payments between the local government and boda boda operators has escalated in Nyamira County, reflecting broader tensions surrounding fiscal policy and governance in the region.

The conflict, which has been ongoing since the inception of devolution, centres on the obligation of boda boda riders to remit taxes to the County Government. Operators argue that they have been exempt from taxation due to perceived neglect and unfulfilled promises of infrastructure improvements.