Government tightens boda boda regulations amid surge in road fatalities

Each year, approximately 400,000 people enter the boda boda sector, often with minimal requirements such as a small deposit, a guarantor, and a Kenya Revenue Authority pin.

Due to high costs, many riders opt for quick, backstreet training sessions lasting less than a day, bypassing the proper month-long courses offered by driving schools for Sh6,000.

This shortcut has deadly consequences, with boda boda operators consistently leading in road crash fatalities.

In 2024 alone, 356 boda boda riders lost their lives in road accidents, with an equal number of crashes reported from January 1 to April 20, according to NTSA data.

Despite that, bodabodas continue to grow in popularity among Kenyans because they can evade traffic and access where other traditional means including Public Service Vehicles (PSVs).

In Nairobi, bodabodas have become the good-to-go means of transport within the Central Business District (CBD).

Due to the demand, the number of bodaboda operators has increased in the CBD, which has resulted in menace.

Bodabodas are frequently sighted in groups in the CBD, particularly in downtown areas blocking pedestrian pathways.

Tom Mboya Street right from Koja Roundabout until Afya Centre, the operators usually station their bodabodas as they wait for potential clients.

At the junction of Kenyatta and Moi Avenue next to the famous Imenti House is another favourite spot for the bodaboda operators.

With this menace, the boda boda industry has on several occasions been put in the spotlight for involvement in crime and other anti-social activities.

Some have on numerous occasions been blamed for ferrying criminals from scenes of crime.

As a result, since devolution, the Nairobi County Government has been announcing plans to regulate the bodaboda operators, especially within the City Centre.

On Wednesday, Tony Kimani, Chief Officer-Security and Compliance announced new plans to regulate bodaboda operators.

These include an individual personal identification number.

"The meeting resolved to have all CBD Bodaboda Operators have branded reflectors according to the Sacco's name, an individual personal number for easy identification of legitimate members amongst riders, security marshal and motorbike users," Kimani said.

The Chief Officer also challenged Bodaboda Saccos to make good use of opportunities presented by companies to generate extra income, especially by marketing products and services of the company by wearing reflectors of the companies.

However, this is not the first time the county government is fronting regulations to tame the bodaboda menace.

In November 2015, former Nairobi governor Evans Kidero banned bodabodas from operating within the city centre.

Their operations were banned in line with provisions of the Traffic Act CAP 403 of 2014.

However, they vowed to defy a directive by City Hall and they moved to the court seeking intervention.

In October 2016, Justice Joseph Onguto dismissed a case filed by the riders who wanted the court to quash Kidero's order.

The bodaboda operators still made their way to the CBD, ferrying passengers as they were used to.

Ahead of the 2017 election, Kidero took a U-turn, terminated all cases against bodaboda riders and ordered the unconditional release of 105 motorcycles lying at the county's holding yard.

In the last regime barely five months into office, former Governor Mike Sonko on January 22, 2018, also banned bodaboda operators from ferrying people to and from the city centre.

"Any operator and passenger found contravening this law will be arrested for an offence punishable by hefty fines and long jail terms as provided for in the Traffic Act, 2014," read the notice.

However, the notice did not indicate whether the county had designated parking lots for the bodaboda operators.

What proceeded was a crackdown where over 4,190 motorbikes were impounded by City Hall on non-compliant operators.

They paid Sh12.7 million in court fines and storage fees. This, however, did not frighten them.

In August 2019, City Hall announced it had identified six locations in the city centre where it was to erect bodaboda shades to be used as pick-up and drop-off points in the CBD.

According to Sonko, some of the six locations where the shades were to be erected included Landi Mawe, Railways, Globe Cinema Roundabout and Kariokor.

Each shade was to hold between 20 and 80 riders but the 'project' was never implemented.

With hope still not lost, in February 2020, City Hall sought assistance from the National Police Service to help regulate the bodaboda riders within CBD.

Previous attempts to control their operations have not succeeded.

Hence, the county government believes additional enforcement by the police will tame the riders.

Appearing before the county assembly Committee for Transport in 2020, NTSA deputy director of legal services Robert Ngugi informed the committee that 50 per cent of riders in the CBD possibly lack licences.

The MCAs blamed NTSA for the failure to properly educate the riders on Traffic rules.

They said the riders should not be treated like criminals as they are only trying to earn their daily bread.

In early 2022, the defunct Nairobi Metropolitan Service issued new guidelines for bodaboda operators.

The operators were to have definite routes to ply, have an office and be allocated parking space at the newly constructed Greenpark Terminal.

However, this never materialized. With renewed efforts by Governor Johnson Sakaja-led administration, it's a wait-and-see whether the proposed regulations will be implemented.