President William Ruto has dismissed a proposal to ban boda bodas from all major cities and towns, jumping to the defence of the transport sector players who employ hundreds.
In a meeting with national leaders of boda bodas at State House, Nairobi, on Thursday, August 7, Ruto vowed that no leader will harm boda bodas, crediting them for playing a key role in his ascent to power in the 2022 General Election.
"In the past election, two groups were at the centre of ensuring leaders got elected: boda bodas and mama mbogas. There is nobody who should threaten the boda boda business," Ruto asserted.
Ruto referenced his Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), seeking to empower Kenyans at the lower end of the economic pyramid, as a key reason behind his support for boda bodas in the country.
"I made a deliberate effort to ensure that boda bodas were at the centre of the national conversation during the past elections through BETA," he noted.
The meeting came weeks after Senior Advisor on Constitutional Affairs Makau Mutua called for the complete removal of vehicles from all major cities and towns across the country.
In a statement issued on Thursday, July 17, Mutua described the presence of boda bodas in all major cities and towns as the main source of chaos within these cities.
He further alleged that boda bodas destroy the aesthetics of the cities and towns, advocating for their immediate removal.
''I am convinced that all boda boda should be banned from the streets of all of Kenya’s major cities and towns. No modern city should tolerate such chaos, illegality, terrible aesthetics, and indiscipline on its roads. Absolutely unacceptable,'' Mutua alleged.
Mutua's sentiments elicited a heated debate among a section of Kenyans. In response to his sentiments, some Kenyans agreed with the advisor's opinions, while others strongly disagreed.
His comments struck the wrong chord with the boda boda group, who demanded an apology over his remarks. They termed his comments as not only reckless but also inconsiderate.
According to the boda boda riders, Makau's remarks contradicted the government’s ambitious Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), which places ordinary citizens at the centre of economic growth.
"We strongly condemn the recent statement by Prof. Makau Mutua on his social media platforms calling for the banning of all boda bodas from Kenya’s cities and towns," read part of a statement by the association.
In their view, boda boda was not just a mode of transport but a lifeline for over two million Kenyan families who rely on the lucrative industry for daily income, food, school fees, and healthcare.
They further noted that the sector was critical, as it played a significant role in creating employment and sustaining local economies, especially among the youth and low-income earners.
Mutua, for his part, asserted that he would not apologise over his remarks, doubling down on his proposal to have a significant number of operators banned from the city.
