783 Kitui boda boda operators receive smart licences

Kitui boda boda operators underwent the county-sponsored training in partnership with the National Transport and Safety Authority. [File, Standard]

More than 700 boda boda operators in Kitui County on Wednesday graduated from a county sponsored training programme and received smart driving licences aimed at improving road safety and compliance with traffic regulations.

Governor Julius Malombe presented the smart licences to the 783 operators at Kefri grounds and said that his administration was intensifying efforts to professionalise the fast growing transport sector.

The riders, drawn from all the 40 wards in Kitui County, underwent the training in partnership with the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA).

Governor Malombe said that the programme covered traffic laws, road safety, customer care, personal health, medical fitness and traffic compliance before the operators qualified for the licences.

Malombe noted that despite the sector's rapid growth, only 2,900 out of the county's 13,909 registered boda boda operators are licensed, a gap he said calls for sustained training and licensing.

"We are building a disciplined, professional and responsible boda boda sector. This licence is not just a legal requirement. It is a symbol of responsibility and public trust," the governor told the operators.

He urged the riders to observe traffic rules, avoid reckless riding and overloading as well as substance abuse.

Malombe challenged the operators to treat the boda boda business as a long-term economic venture by embracing financial discipline, saving their earnings and investing for the future.

"Training boda boda riders makes our roads safer and also strengthens livelihoods for thousands of young people who depend on the sector," the governor added.

Kitui boda boda Association chairman Kelvin Kivala hailed the initiative, saying training and licensing riders will help improve road safety while restoring public confidence in the sector.

"This is a major boost for our riders. Besides making them compliant with traffic regulations, the training equips them with skills to operate professionally and safely," Kivala said.

Earlier, the governor commissioned smart traffic lights at the Kitui-Kibwezi Road and Mbusyani Road junction in Kitui Town. He said the project will improve traffic flow, enhance road safety and support the municipality's growing urban transport needs.

"Our town is growing and we must plan for its future. These traffic lights will enhance road safety, improve traffic management and support our vision of building a well planned, modern town," said Malombe.