The recent assault case on a female diplomat along Wangari Maathai Road formerly known as Forest Road attracted uproar forcing the government to streamline the boda boda sector.
Rogue riders were caught on camera harassing and sexually assaulting the motorist, in a video that surfaced on Monday, March 7.
A young Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Sheillah Magomere, started an online petition to tame the boda boda sector.
Magomere, a child online protector and law specialist, and the founder of Legal Sister organisation stated that she launched the petition after watching the disturbing video.
Legal Sister launched in March 2021 aims at educating and informing the community on regulations and laws that affect their daily life by analysing and simplifying them.
Magomere who is also an advocate of the High Court noted that the graphic video disturbed her emotionally. To that effect, she decided to use her organisation to reach out to other Kenyans to curb rampant crime within the boda boda sector.
"We are 43 members. One of us, Jackie, suggested that we start a petition that will champion regulation of the sector. We started by checking the existing laws and drafting the petition. Within two hours, hundreds had signed up," the young CEO stated.
Justfying to start the online petition, Magomere explained that the Wangari Maathai incident was not an isolated incident as two of her friends have also suffered in the hands of the rogue boda boda operators.
"It’s a perennial menace. If not jumping the traffic lights, it’s riding against the traffic and obstructing motorists. Notably, there are good ones and yes bodas in most occasions make things easier for us. Like in making deliveries, or rushing to the airport.
"We want the sector to be regulated," Magomere remarked.
Her petition has so far attracted over 200,000 signatures and the creators are aiming at reaching one million.
Magomere intends to use it to formally engage the government and be part of the team that would be involved in the formulation of rules that will guide the entire boda boda industry.
Some of the reforms Magomere is pushing for include the implementation of a yearly licence spearheaded by the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) with a pre-requisite of a good conduct certificate and also creation of registered associations.
She is also hoping to see an application created by the government to keep track of riders and even enable reporting of rogue riders at a click of a button.
"We believe that this will safeguard the vulnerable, equip riders with skills to ride safely and help them maintain and follow due process in the event of an accident," she noted.
