Boda boda riders across the country have threatened to protest if the government proceeds with implementing the motorcycle regulation bill that is currently before Parliament.
While appearing before the Parliamentary Committee on Transport, the Boda Boda Safety Association of Kenya strongly opposed the bill.
The association termed the bill not only retrogressive but also punitive.
Boda Boda riders threaten to demonstrate over a proposed bill affecting them. Photo: Courtesy.
Moreover, the boda boda operators described the bill as fundamentally flawed, overly bureaucratic, and financially unsustainable.
They emphasized that it duplicates the existing mandate of the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), undermines the constitutional roles of county governments, and risks politicising the sector.
The proposed establishment of 47 county-level Motorcycle Transport and Safety Boards and the requirement for mandatory SACCO membership was another key concern raised during the meeting.
According to the Association, such provisions are punitive and could foster corruption in a sector that has been instrumental to Kenya’s economic growth.
However, members of the committee backed the bill and encouraged the boda boda representatives to suggest amendments rather than reject the proposal outright.
