Interior Cabinet Secretary (CS) Fred Matiang’i on Thursday morning ordered the release of impounded boda boda motorbikes across the country.
This order comes after the President of Bodaboda Association of Kenya (BAK), Kevin Mubadi said boda boda riders were facing challenges accessing their motorcycles following the recent crackdown earlier this month.
According to Mubadi, in order for the riders to retrieve their motorcycles, they were required to appear at the police stations with their National Identity cards and logbooks but most were getting frustrated even with their documents.
Dr. Matiang’i during a national convention for boda boda reforms held at the Kenya School of Government, Nairobi asked the secretary for Internal Security to hand out the register of boda boda riders for processing of release of the motorcycles with all county, deputy county and regional commissioners.
The CS also asked the county and constituency chairpersons of BAK to attend his security meetings whenever he visits any county to give him security updates.
“Tell the commissioners that we want to work with these people. From this day forward, when I arrive in a county security meeting, we want to be given security updates from the boda boda chairpersons. We will allow them to ask questions, and we will give answers,” said the CS.
While addressing 290 riders in the meeting who were representing riders in every constituency in the country, the CS talked about his commitment to reforming the boda boda sector.
“I want to reform the boda boda sector just as the late John Michuki did to the matatu sector, and we are entering a lifelong covenant today with you,” he said.
He asked the boda boda riders to be organised to avoid harming genuine riders who rely on the sector to earn a living and also avoid being influenced and misused by politicians to cause chaos and violence during this campaign period but instead unite and shun violence.
“There are students who are seeking school fees to support themselves through this business. Some are raising their families; that is why we want the sector to be cleaned. We don’t want them to be infiltrated by criminals and drug dealers,” said Matiang’i.
“Let us be messengers of peace this election period. Preach peace and coexistence. Having a difference in opinion and supporting different candidates is not a problem. That is what democracy is about. None of us should rise against the other because of elections. Where there is an issue, call your groups, the riders you lead and unite them. Listen to each other and shun violence.”
