The government has given boda boda operators 90 days to ensure they are fully registered with the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) and issued with rider’s licences.

Interior PS Karanja Kibicho on Monday said come February 1, everyone who will be caught riding without the licence will be arrested and taken to court.

“As a government, we want to ensure we have restored sanity in the sector, which is prone to abuse by criminals,” Kibicho said. “To ensure there is sanity, we are soon going to launch a rapid response initiative which will seek to train and give licences to all riders. After the 90 days, everyone who will not be having a licence could find themselves in jail. We will not leave anything to chance”.

Free lessons

The PS said the government has partnered with the National Youth Service (NYS) and NTSA to conduct free motorcycle riding classes and issue driving licences.

Speaking in Nairobi at a symposium hosted by the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) in partnership with the Boda Boda Safety Association of Kenya, the PS said currently there are more than 2.5 million registered motorcycles in the country, 1.4 million of which operate boda boda.

Kibicho also said the government is committed to promote peace and cohesion during the election period. “I urge all members of the sector to say no to political hooliganism and choose to build our country as patriots. I challenge you to realise that being associated with the siege mentality, impunity and disorderliness is a derogatory insult,” said the PS.

During the event, representatives of the 1.2 million boda boda riders signed a commitment with NCIC binding their members to ensure peaceful elections by resisting incitement to violence in political rallies and during the 2022 General Election.

NCIC chair Samuel Kobia urged boda boda operators to resist being used by politicians to perpetuate violence.

“We call on all boda boda riders and Kenyans in general to refuse to be used as goons for hire. Turn down senseless offers from politicians & their cohorts to be used as amplifiers of hate messages and executors of violence,” said Kobia.

NCIC has embarked on a countrywide campaign dubbed #ElectionsBilaNoma.