The boda boda menace in the country once again came to the fore after a group of riders were yesterday captured brutally assaulting a woman before stripping her half-naked along Prof. Wangari Maathai Road in Parklands, Nairobi.

The video that has since gone viral and caused a national uproar showed a crowd attempting to pull the belted-up woman from her car after a minor accident.

Despite the distraught woman’s screams, the men went further ahead to strip her naked.

The police headquarters yesterday condemned the incident, terming it distasteful as Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr Fred Matiang’i ordered the security agencies to ensure the perpetrators are brought to book. Detectives yesterday acted swiftly and arrested at least 16 suspects following the horrendous attacks.

Nairobi Traffic Police Commander Joshua Omukata said his officers had already confiscated five motorcycles. The incident happened on Friday, March 4 but only went viral yesterday after it was shared on Twitter.

The suspects will also be charged with robbery with violence after it was revealed that they robbed her phone and cash worth Sh130,000.

The arrests came just a few hours after the Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr Fred Matiangi condemned the incident and called for immediate investigations. “We must protect our roads from such vile and reprehensible acts of aggression. I have asked our security agents to ensure that all the perpetrators of this dastardly act are swiftly apprehended and suitably punished for their heinous act,” Matiang’i said.

Energy CS Dr Monica Juma equally condemned the incident, while calling for justice.

“All those involved must face the full force of the law. What a shame that no one could help or protect this young woman from this criminal attack in broad daylight? How did our society come to lose all humanity? Really?” she wondered.

The female victim was driving from Gigiri to Parklands, but on reaching Barabara Tano, at the junction of Prof Wangari Maathai and Limuru road, she got involved in a road accident. Police said she was accosted by the rogue boda boda riders, “as she drove to safety.”

By last evening, police had launched a manhunt for the suspects whom they said they had identified as a major crackdown against boda Bodas flouting traffic regulations was underway.

“Our attention has been drawn to a distasteful video circulating on social media of Boda Boda riders attacking a motorist after an alleged road traffic accident. The rowdy gang went ahead and stripped the lady off her clothes,” police headquarters said yesterday.

Investigating perpetrators

National Police Service spokesperson Bruno Shioso said the matter was under active investigations and detectives had since identified some of the perpetrators.

“They will be presented before a court of law upon completion of investigations,” Shioso said. Last evening, Omukata said police had identified the suspects implicated in the video and a major manhunt for them was initiated.

Omukata also disclosed that his officers had launched a major crackdown against the motorbikes operators flouting traffic regulations. Chief Administrative Secretary of the ICT Ministry Nadia Abdalla condemned the incident saying the violence against women should be stopped.

“The video of the young lady being attacked and harassed in broad daylight in public is traumatizing and heartbreaking. DCI and NPS please do something,” she said. The Protective and Safety Association of Kenya (PROSAK) yesterday condemned the incident and asked the police to expedite the investigations.

“Apart from going against our societal and cultural norms, the incident becomes the cause of alarm among the general public due to lack of security within the country when it comes to disorderly and retaliatory behaviour of boda boda operators,” Prosak said in a statement.

Also to condemn the incident was the Boda Boda Association of Kenya (BAK) chairman David Njoroge, who urged the police to hasten the investigations to ensure that all those involved are apprehended.

“This lady and many like her who have been harassed deserve justice. Our sisters, mothers and daughters need to be assured of safe public transport,’ Njoroge disclosed.

The BAK chairman disclosed that the association has started full registration of all riders to ensure every operator has captured int their data and identified to weed out criminals from the sector.

“We apologise to the victim and also to the women around the country who have gone through such ordeal,” Njoroge stated.

Yesterday’s incident is just one among hundreds of similar incidents reported across the country, almost daily.