Leader of the Majority in the National Assembly, Kimani Ichung'wah, on Tuesday, April 11, implored Members of Parliament to introduce legislation regulating the boda boda industry after the late Banissa MP Kullow Maalim Hassan was involved in a hit-and-run incident with a rider on Wednesday, March 28.
Speaking in Parliament, the MP lamented that the rider was not identified as he vanished immediately after knocking down his colleague along Mombasa Road. Kullow died while receiving treatment.
Ichung'wah expressed worry over the trend challenging the lawmakers to introduce legislation to govern the boda boda sector in the country.
According to the lawmaker, the new rules would help tame vices such as overtaking on the wrong side and riders invading walking paths and pavements.
"It's probably a call on us considering that Kullow lost his life following an accident occasioned by a boda boda rider," Ichung'wah stated.
"It's a probable occasion for us to consider legislation and regulations that will govern how riders operate on our roads with riders overtaking on the left side of the road and using pavements," the Kikuyu MP stated.
Dagoretti North MP Beatrice Elachi corroborated Ichung'wah's remarks indicating that it was unfortunate for the MP to die in such a manner.
Elachi called on the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) to expedite the rolling out of new generation number plates targeting boda boda riders.
Defending the move, the former Nairobi Speaker indicated it was key to identifying riders by their Saccos, area of operation and other minute details.
She also called for collaboration between the National Police Service and NTSA to restore sanity in the boda boda sector.
"We are saying it is time for the police to crackdown. They had said that they will ensure boda boda have new number plates that will assist in terms of jurisdiction because many others have been knocked by boda boda and have passed on and are wondering where to find them," she stated.
"NTSA must ensure that they now come out, and we should not be waiting until one of us has gone through it," she added.
Kullow's Hit-and-Run Incident
According to one of his relatives, a rider near Capital Center along Mombasa Road knocked down the second-term MP.
He was rushed to a nearby hospital which transferred him to Aga Khan. Kullow, elected on United Democratic Movement (UDM), Kenya Kwanza affiliate party, was later pronounced dead.
Kullow was first elected to Parliament in 2017 on an Economic Freedom Party (EFP).
