Boda boda riders in Kisumu who have not been paying revenue over the last 13 years have now agreed to do so.

Riders have in the past resisted paying the Sh500 monthly charges, saying the amount was high amid tough economic times.

This had forced the county government then headed by former Governor Jack Ranguma to exempt them from the levies to allow for consultations.

When Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o assumed office, he started engaging the leadership of the riders towards finding an amicable solution, leading to the latest breakthrough.

Yesterday, Chairman of Kisumu Revenue Board Hezron Mac Obewa disclosed that the county government had finally struck a deal with the operators to start paying levies.

“We agreed that if the boda boda riders pay promptly they will also be employed in the service sector,’’ he said.

Kisumu County government now targets to collect Sh1.6 billion from boda boda riders, who will be paying Sh300 a month.

There are currently15,000 registered boda boda operators in the county, Mac Obewa disclosed.

The riders have also been trained on using the new digitized method to pay on the phone.

The boda boda riders, who have not been paying taxes since the inception of devolution, are required to get stickers to enable them to operate. Attempts to have them pay the levy last year was flatly rejected.

For the past five years,  Kisumu has been struggling to meet its Sh1 billion revenue target.