Samwel Mureithi popular as "Mukinyo" riding his client on his carpeted motor bike. Kisumu County government is targeting boda-bodas in their tax net. [File, Standard]

The Kisumu County government is targeting to raise up to Sh720 million from motorcycle taxi businesses annually.

The county finance executive, Nerry Achar, said each motorcycle tax operator, commonly known as boda boda, pay at least Sh20 a day, translating to about Sh2 million.

Mr Achar said the county was targeting 100,000 registered boda boda operators in Kisumu's seven constituencies and more than 30,000 others yet be registered.

"Meaning that if each of the 100,000 registered ones pays the requisite Sh20 per day, Kisumu is capable of collecting up to Sh720 million in a year," Achar explained

The cash collections from boda boda will be ploughed back into projects aimed at uplifting the operators' socio-economic status, going by Governor Anyang' Nyong'o's plans.

Prof Nyong'o has said he wants the operators to form welfare groups so that they can be assisted to grow the industry. Part of the plan by the county is to see them buy buses to ply the lakeside city's routes.

Seed capital

The buses would be operated by boda boda officials supervised by county officials. The county also plans to set up a Sh100 million kitty to assist boda boda members further their studies.

The plan includes setting up a special kitty as seed capital where at least Sh200 million to be loaned to subscribed members.

Achar said the county would partner with corporates to buy reflector jackets for the riders. "We have arranged with their leaders to carry out civic education on the proposed tax collection system," he told The Standard

The county would also roll out an insurance cover to cater for riders and their families if they paid the tax.

The Kisumu boda boda operators' coordinator, Nelson Odire, said each area would have a colour code to make it possible to track riders. "It will boost security and also help ease coordinated management of the sector," said Mr Odire.

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