Boda Boda Association threaten nationwide strike over Public Transport Bill 2023, term it oppressive  

The Boda Boda Association of Kenya (BAK) has threatened to stage nationwide boycott if the National Assembly passes the Public Transport Bill 2023, which they term as oppressive sails through.

According to the Public Transport Bill 2023, all boda boda operators in the country are required to register with the county governments before being issued with the licenses to operate.

The largely unregulated sector synonymous with lawlessness, infiltrated with organised criminal elements and widely used as easy bait for political mobilisation  has clearly manifested the boon and bane of the socio-economic and political implications in the society.

They will also be required to install the Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking devices on their motorcycle that can track their movement in a bid to safeguard the security of the people they carry and even themselves.

The proposed regulations also make it mandatory for the riders to have a helmet & reflective jacket for the riders and passengers they carry. It also proposed a maximum of 50kg limit on luggage per motorcycle.

Those who violate the regulation will be fined Ksh20,000 for riding on pedestrian walkways or in the wrong direction. Those found Intimidating passengers will attract a fine of Ksh100,000 fine or jail time.

According to experts, the GPS tracking system uses satellite technology to pinpoint the exact location of a person, vehicle, or asset in real-time, providing users with detailed information about its movement, allowing them to monitor and manage assets efficiently, prevent theft, optimize routes, and enhance safety depending on the application.

The boda boda riders have been accused in Kenya for colluding with thugs to commit crimes in the country. They have also been accused of orchestrating mugging incidents in urban centres.

Boda boda has become the mode of transport in urban centres, because of its ability to navigate through the time-consuming and chaotic jams. The transport system is found in almost all corners of urban centres in Kenya, which are notorious for unending traffic gridlocks.

The industry has also gained popularity over time because of its ability to absorb many jobless youth, easing pressure on the government to create employment opportunities for them.

By 2024, according to official statistics, the sub-sector had 1.6 million riders collecting an average of Sh200 million daily, which translated to Sh6 billion every month.

The riders ferry thousands of learners to and from school, move luggage from one point to the other, transport people to and from their workstations, rush patients in need of urgent medical attention, and deliver essentials such as cooking gas and charcoal to homesteads.

Nevertheless, despite the good things that they do, on the flip side, there are the ugly incidents that the riders engage in.

Most of the riders hardly obey traffic rules, ride on pavements meant for people and are frequently linked to violence and crime, and above all, are known for reckless riding that sometimes leads to accidents and deaths. Of great concern, however, is their connection to crime. Criminals are increasingly using motorbikes to commit robbery and murder.

In Nairobi, complaints abound of attacks by thugs riding on motorbikes. While all this is happening in a sub-sector that is largely unregulated, it is extremely difficult to establish whether the perpetrators are rogue boda boda operators or criminals taking advantage of existing loopholes.

Security threats Criminals in rural or urban centres would today prefer to use this mode of transport to commit crimes with the latest incident being the killing of a Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) officer in the restive Mihango neighbourhood in Eastlands.

Most traffic police in urban centres want stringent laws to restrain the riders from misbehaving. The lot commit crimes and gang up due to ambushing the individuals they rub in the wrong way.

They believe in the power of mob justice. All these incidents call for regulation of the riders in order for them to provide safe transport to Kenyans in urban centres or rural areas.