Forty motorcycles have been impounded by the police in an operation that began on Tuesday afternoon in Kitale Town and its environs.

The operation happened as officials of the Trans Nzoia county boda boda association pleaded with the government to give them more time to comply with road safety regulations, saying the crackdown would hurt them severely during this season.

The motorcyclists said the indiscriminate impounding of their motorcycles done would cause suffering to their families.

Their officials, who had gathered at the Trans Nzoia county police headquarters to seek for the release of their colleagues and their motorcycles, blamed the county government for failing to put up parking stages.

“Several members’ motorcycles have been impounded by the police and some of our members have been arrested and are being held here at the Kitale Police Station where we have come to seek for their release,” said Anthony Ombima, the chairman of Trans Nzoia county boda boda

According to Mr Ombima, the move to arrest the forty motorcyclists was rushed without proper consultations with the boda boda leadership.

 “The police are indiscriminate in this operation and have arrested  everyone that they came across during the operation which caught us by surprise,” the chairman of the umbrella body said.