Bodabodas: Zooming away to shattered bones and early graves

Since their entry into the Kenyan market during Mwai Kibaki’s presidency, motorcycle taxis, famously known as boda boda, have gained national notoriety despite their a­ffordability, speed and maneuverability, which ease transport within short distances and rural areas.

Unfortunately, boda bodas are increasingly linked to insecurity across Kenyan towns and villages as hitmen, terrorists, bandits, drug peddlers and robbers use them to accomplish their missions with ease. Besides boda boda operators perpetrating crimes, they are also prone to attacks by criminals, who waylay and rob them of their bikes before killing them and damping their bodies in forests and rivers.

This notwithstanding, they are arguably the leading cause of death among the youth in Kenya and Africa today. They are maiming and killing thousands every year, monopolising hospital budgets and wiping out livelihoods.

Virtually all public hospitals in Kenya have established special wards for treating motorcycle victims.

President Uhuru, through Parliament, should therefore push for the enactment or development of a motorcycle legislation or ‘Act’ to specifically, among other things, enforce an ‘age’ limit for one to own or operate a boda boda, importation and supply of these motorbikes, besides the obvious safety precautions like the use of helmets for both riders and passengers.