Gangs suspected to be on the payroll of shylocks have murdered dozens of boda boda riders in gruesome circumstances over the last few months, Parliament heard yesterday.

In a trend replicated across the country, the shylocks, MPs heard, mostly hire the killer gangs to murder riders once they are about to clear their loans.

Once they dispense with the hapless riders, the gangs steal the motorcycles and return them to the shylock or credit vendors. MPs were told that the vendors then loan out the same bikes to other unsuspecting riders, perpetuating a vicious cycle of deceit and death.

Speaking during an adjournment motion moved by Teso South MP Mary Emase, the legislators from across the political divide accused security agencies of failing to arrest perpetrators and sponsors of the heinous murders.

 They claimed as of now no single person has been arrested and arraigned in court on charges of murder, theft or robbery yet the riders have continued to die despite their huge contributions to the economy.

Led by Emaase, MPs John Makali (Kanduyi), Wanami Wamboka (Bumula),  John Kiarie (Dagoretti South),  Dr Wilberforce Oundo (Funyula), Geoffrey Ruku (Mbeere North), Bisau Kakai (Kiminini), Adipo Okuome (Karachuonyo), John Walukhe (Sirisia ), James Nyikal (Seme), Betty Maina (Murang’a County Woman Representative), Gitonga Mukunji (Manyatta), Mark Mwenje (Embakasi West), Jared Okello (Nyando), Omboko Milemba (Emuhaya) and John  Mutunga (Tigania West), told the government to develop a proper policy framework to manage, govern, regulate and administer operations of the bodaboda sector in order to stop criminal gangs from invading the sector.

 They also want various laws put in place to protect and take care of the riders’ interests given the sector’s contribution to the country’s economy.

 While moving the adjournment motion, Emase reported that she had lost at least eight riders to these gangs while more than 50 others have been injured in the last one month.

 She stated that in all incidents, the victims had purchased their motorcycles from credit vendors who purport to offer flexible payment plans.

 She said: “Incidentally, they are killed immediately they clear the loans or when they are almost about to finish loan repayments. This pattern paints a probably well-coordinated collusion between some creditors and some criminal gangs to track targeted motorbikes, kill the owners and repossess them (motorbikes) for resale to other clients who might likely suffer the same fate as the initial owners.”

 She added: “It is no wonder that whenever an owner of a motorcycle is killed, his motorcycle tracker is also immediately dismembered, making the motorcycle untraceable.”

Crime cutting

 Okello claimed that the killings are the works of organised crime cutting across the entire country.

 He said boda boda riders have become the target of some indoctrinated gangs whose main objective is to kill them and steal their motorcycles.

 He said: “It is interesting that their motorcycles, which to a common degree are on loan, are fitted with tracing gadgets. But each time the bikes are stolen, the operators realise that the tracing gadget is left somewhere. That tells you how organised this crime is.”

 Makali claimed that in the last six months, he has attended a total of ten burials of boda boda operators who have been killed in very savage manner in his constituency.

 Out of those deaths, he regretted that no single person has been arrested and arraigned in court on charges of murder, theft or robbery.

Serious approach

 He said: “That begs the question: Where are the security and investigative agencies? They are concentrating on arresting boda boda operators found operating beyond time, but are not giving a serious approach to protecting them. They have not chosen to be boda boda operators. This is a source of employment. They assist many people traverse areas where ordinary vehicles cannot reach. We must accept the fact that criminal gangs have invaded this sector.”

 Wamboka told the government to provide answers and actions it has taken to protect the young men and women from dying badly.

 Ruku said that the sector is invaded by unscrupulous businessmen who own shylocks.

 Said Ruku: “When a boda boda owner is unable to pay off or is late by a week, he pays a very high interest to the shylocks. The kind of treatment they face is extremely bad and inhumane. This house should come up with regulations or directives that businessmen in this sector should not charge the young men interest rates above those of the Central Bank of Kenya.”