The government has partnered with the National Youth Service and NTSA to offer free motorcycle riding classes to all boda boda riders.
This was in line with the 90 days ultimatum issued to the operators to ensure that they are registered with the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA).
Speaking during a symposium on December 6, Interior Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho stated that the government, in partnership with the National Youth Service and NTSA, is set to conduct free motorcycle riding classes and issue driving licenses.
Additionally, Kibicho stated that after three months, the government will launch a crackdown on those who will not have complied with the new directives.
During the event, the representatives of the 1.2 million boda boda operators signed an agreement with the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) to curb incitements tendencies by politicians.
Similarly, NCIC Chairperson Samuel Kobia urged the operators to turn down senseless offers from politicians to promote violence.
“We call on all boda boda riders and Kenyans, in general, to refuse to be used as goons for hire. Turn down senseless offers from politicians and their cohorts to be used as amplifiers of hate messages and executors of violence,” Kobia noted.
The boda boda industry, which highly comprises the youth, has always been used as a marketing agency for politicians during political campaigns. The trend is most common in rural areas.
Politicians tend to woo them with reflector jackets as awards and other offers because they know of their importance in their line of work.
Being a force to reckon with within the social fabric, they have grown to become a key ingredient in political campaigns.
Politicians have taken advantage of their influence to market themselves through branding the reflectors with their names, seats they are vying for, and the political parties they are vying under.
