A shortage of motorcycle taxis created by the ongoing police crackdown on rogue operators forcing families and small businesses to cope with delays and high prices.

Green grocery operators, commonly known as mama mbogas, and other small scale retailers and families who rely on the two-wheelers for transport services, to ferry their wares and take children to school, are having a hard time finding affordable transport services. 

During the crackdown, some boda boda operators flee leaving their motorbikes behind.

Some wines and spirits businesses, cooking gas suppliers and other dealers in merchandise who rely on the boda boda operators have been forced to postpone delivery of customer orders due to lack of transport.

“The indiscriminate boda crackdown is really hurting us. We can’t find riders to deliver. The impunity by the bodas is a serious problem that needs to be addressed. But so is the impunity displayed by the police,” said Binti Swahilya, a trader in Mombasa.

Delivery startups such as Glovo, Kune foods and others are currently experiencing difficulties in meeting customer orders as government has ordered fresh National Transport and Safety Authority registration for motorcycle transport operators.

In a statement to its customers, Kune Foods said it was having delays due to the ongoing crackdown on boda bodas. 

“We are experiencing delays in our deliveries due to the current boda boda situation, kindly bear with us,” said Kune.

President Uhuru Kenyatta on Tuesday ordered a crackdown on illegal boda boda operators countrywide. He directed that all operators be registered afresh.

Boda bodas employ an estimated 1.2 million Kenyans making them a major source of income and transport services.