Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has declared a countrywide operation to weed out rogue boda boda riders, linking them to rising cases of violence, robberies, and destruction of property.
Speaking in Kisii County on Friday, Murkomen directed police officers to hunt down criminals hiding in the boda boda sector and ensure that all operators are licensed in line with the law.
He said the police will work together with the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) to restore order in the industry.
“Some of these boda boda groups are being used to harass, beat and torture people. I have already informed security teams that there will be a major crackdown,” Murkomen said.
The CS noted that while many boda boda operators earn their living honestly, criminal groups have infiltrated the sector. He promised the crackdown would be conducted firmly and fairly.
“We must bring order to the boda boda sector. We will do so without fear or favour, without any ill will, and without considering political affiliations,” he stated.
Murkomen, however, praised some boda boda leaders who have been cooperating with security agencies by providing intelligence that has helped to expose criminal gangs.
His remarks follow a series of violent incidents in which boda boda riders were accused of setting vehicles on fire after accidents.
On September 6 in Luanda, Vihiga County, boda boda riders torched a 14-seater matatu after it allegedly knocked down one of their colleagues along the Kisumu-Busia highway.
The group also blocked a fire engine sent by the county government to extinguish the flames before raiding a stalled trailer and looting sodas. They later barricaded the busy highway, cutting off transport on the vital Kenya–Uganda route.
A similar incident was reported on September 1 along Thika Road near Juja Estate in Kiambu County, where boda boda riders attacked and burnt a Super Metro bus after it reportedly ran over one of their fellow riders.
Murkomen said such lawlessness will no longer be tolerated and assured Kenyans that security agencies are prepared to take firm action.
