23 Administration Police officers and prison wardens from Makueni County who in the cover of night turn into boda-boda operators.
The enterprising junior security officers use this as their side hustle when they are not on duty.
There are many more officers who own motorcycles, but they do not ride them themselves. Instead, they lease them out and collect Sh500 a day.
Unlike their civilian competitors, the officers invested in brand-new bikes, which gave them an edge. This way, they have been able to attract more customers.
However, the officers are putting their official jobs on the line because their bosses have not approved of what they do after they clock out.
Though the senior officers acknowledge that they have no control over what their enterprising juniors do when they are off duty, they harbour misgivings that their side hustles could compromise some security operations
“Suppose the police are out there managing riotous boda-boda operators while some of the officers are sympathetic with operators because they are their colleagues, the security operation is compromised,” county Prison Commander Patrick Naibei, expalined in an interview.
Aware of the dictates of their official duty, these part-time boda-boda operators have kept a safe distance from their civilian counterparts.
They have even turned down invitations to join a welfare association of local boda-boda operators chaired by Urbanus Mutisya.
“Whenever we are petitioning for something from the government, the officers do not join us. They later plead that we understand them, and we do,” Mutisya stated.
