Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i has broken his silence over reports that the government was gearing up to hike taxes paid by boda boda riders.
Speaking during a forum of boda boda officials drawn from all the 47 counties on Wednesday, March 23, the CS dismissed the claims as false.
He further defended the drive to create a digital register of all operators noting that the state intended to instill order and rid the sector of criminals.
"Reforming the border boda sector is a critical public policy decision that government has already made…The people who are in the sector are genuine Kenyans who are raising their families from this business.
"We don’t want them to be interfered with by criminals. We want to clean the sector so that it continues to thrive and succeed,” he explained.
During the event, Matiang'i also directed all Regional Commissioners to step up engagement with the boda boda leaders and communicate the value of the reforms to riders and operators.
He also urged leaders to avoid opposing the reforms being implemented urging the operators to reject incitement and exploitation, especially during the electioneering season.
“After the Covid-19 pandemic, for us in Kenya, we are now dealing with the pandemic of lies and foul language by our politicians.
"They just wake up in the morning to drive around the country and lie. They actually say things they don’t know; because they don’t engage with public policy. Let us be responsible and reform the sector," he added.
In a previous interview with Kenyans.co.ke, the boda boda Safety Association of Kenya founder and National Chairman Kevin Mubadi noted that the new smart license would be linked to the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) as well as the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) and the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA).
He further noted that the license would have the riders' personal details for easy tracing, especially when a crash occurs.
"The license will have NSSF, NHIF and KRA. KRA will help in buying the goods and land. Instead of moving around with PIN numbers, it will be in that license
"The smart license will have the name of the SACCO where the rider operates from. For you to get the licenses, you must be registered in a SACCO and the SACCO will be registered under the association so that it becomes a piece of digital information. Once you get the information, you go to NTSA for the license," he explained.
