Govt called to act over rising cases of Boda Boda riders torching vehicles
By Kenneth Mwenda, September 9, 2025The Mass Mobility Operators Association has raised serious concerns over the rising cases of boda-boda riders torching vehicles following road accidents, warning that the trend threatens both public safety and the transport industry.
Speaking on Tuesday, September 9, 2025, association officials said the acts of violence are causing substantial financial losses and endangering lives.
“Operators have lost millions of shillings in destroyed property. We call on the government to act,” said Wilfred Bosire, the Mass Mobility Operators Association Secretary General.
They urged the Cabinet Secretary for Interior, the Inspector General of Police, and county authorities to place boda-boda operators under strict regulations and to remove criminal elements hiding behind the sector. “Boda-bodas are an important part of the transport ecosystem, but they cannot operate above the law,” the association added.
Officials said the association is engaging with relevant government agencies to ensure that matatu stages and other transport hubs are protected from mob violence.
“We will not allow members’ investments, many acquired through loans and hard work, to go up in flames due to lawlessness,” the statement said. They also stressed that passengers must be protected from the insecurities created by such incidents.
Elsewhere Farouk Kibet urged the Boda Boda riders to embrace civility and government programs.
The association appealed to all road users to respond to accidents with caution and compassion rather than violence. They also called on boda-boda leaders to educate their members and ensure discipline on the roads.
“Kenya cannot afford to have its roads turned into battlefields every time there is an accident,” the statement said.
The association concluded by emphasising a zero-tolerance stance on mob justice, promising to work with the government and law enforcement to uphold safety and justice on Kenyan roads.
Violence surges
The rising violence comes amid a series of high-profile incidents in the past two weeks. On Saturday, September 6, in Luanda Town, Vihiga County, a boda-boda rider died after being hit by a 14-seater matatu along the Kisumu-Busia highway. Locals barricaded the highway and lit bonfires, setting the matatu ablaze.
Similarly, on Sunday, September 7, a private car was set on fire in Thika’s Makongeni Estate after a road accident. Eyewitnesses said the vehicle, reportedly an Audi A3, was involved in the collision. Following the accident, angry boda-boda operators torched the car, disrupting traffic and causing panic in the area.
The trend continued on September 1 along Thika Road near Juja Town, when riders set fire to a Super Metro Sacco matatu after it knocked down and killed a rider. The bus was completely destroyed, and police confirmed they were investigating the incident.
These incidents have fuelled growing concern over mobs taking the law into their own hands, with some social media users calling for stricter enforcement, while others argued that riders often face harassment from other road users.
The Mobility Association insists that violence must stop. They warn that the repeated torching of vehicles damages livelihoods and undermines law and order. They called for immediate government intervention to regulate the sector, protect operators and passengers, and ensure accountability for those who commit acts of violence.