Nairobi governor Mike Sonko on Monday moved to court seeking to stop implementation of tax measures imposed on boda boda operators.
The governor alongside his other team Wanjiku leaders namely, Moses Kuria, Simon Mbugua, Stanley Livondo, Reuben Ndolo, Kalembe Ndile, and Steven Bwire made their way to court to seek justice.
The team demanded that the move requiring Boda Boda and tuk-tuk operators to take third party insurance to cover passengers and pedestrians in case of an accident is punitive and should be scrapped off.
They further advocated that the new tax requirement should have been subjected to public participation before being imposed on the boda boda and Tuk Tuk operators as indicated in the budget.
CS Rotich’s new requirement sparked debate and resentment amongst the Boda Boda riders who took to various platforms to express their grievances.
Reports by the Star indicated that the boda boda Safety Association of Kenya Chairman Kevin Mubadi said it was unfair for the CS to impose more charges on them with the current hard economic times.
The decision to go to court was on Sunday inspired the realization that the common Mwananchi’s rights were being infringed. This revelation led to the formation of team Wanjiku that is neither affiliated to Kieleweke nor Tangatanga.
“Together with all boda boda operators in the country, we shall go to court and fight against Rotich's proposal stating that boda boda operators pay compressive insurance as this will escalate the crime rate in the country,” highlighted the governor.
The country has some laws that are oppressive and we shall address them if we have a referendum. As a governor, I will liaise with my colleagues and fight against the infringement of Wanjiku and hustlers rights for purposes of raising funds to pay off the governments debts.
Earlier in the month, Sonko had ordered the release of at least 800 impounded boda bodas that were being held for violating traffic rules within the city centre.
The governor ordered that operators of the impounded boda bodas be given back their motorcycles without any fine on condition that they would not operate within the Central Business District (CBD).
