Boda boda riders will now be required to wear uniforms specific to their counties and display unique identification numbers on their motorcycles as part of new government measures aimed at curbing crime and improving accountability in the sector.
The reforms were announced after a high-level meeting on Thursday between senior police officials and leaders of the National Boda Boda Association in Nairobi. Convened by Nairobi Regional Police Commander George Seda, the session brought together key stakeholders to tackle rising lawlessness and mob justice linked to boda boda riders.
Commander Seda said the uniforms and IDs will help authorities and the public identify riders in their jurisdictions and warned against interference with traffic accident investigations.
“There is no solidarity in the application of the law; it applies to individuals. If one rider has been involved in an offence or accident, the responsibility lies with that individual alone. The law will not be applied collectively,” he said.
Riders will also be required to join Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies (SACCOs) and form stage chamas. These measures aim to instill discipline, strengthen sector regulation, and promote financial responsibility among operators.
Kevin Mbadi, chairperson of the Boda Boda Safety Association of Kenya (BAK), cautioned against mob justice and retaliatory attacks following accidents, emphasizing that perpetrators will be held personally accountable.
“We have agreed as boda boda leaders that if a vehicle is torched in your area, the local heads will face a crackdown until they provide the names of those responsible. The culprits will be arrested,” Mbadi said.
He also announced that BAK had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with a network of lawyers to offer free legal services to riders involved in road-related disputes.
“It is the work of the police to process an accident or crime scene and ensure that matters are addressed amicably. It is not the work of an aggrieved party to enforce justice,” he added, urging riders to allow due process to take its course.
The measures come amid rising insecurity linked to boda boda riders, including vehicles being torched after accidents and attacks by criminal gangs posing as riders. Drivers have expressed concern over growing lawlessness and harassment, accusing government agencies of inaction.
In a statement on Monday, the Motorist Association of Kenya (MAK) cited incidents in Juja and Luanda where matatus, trailers, buses, pickups, and private cars were stoned or torched, with pedestrians also affected by violent gangs.
Drivers said boda boda riders routinely flout traffic rules in full view of authorities, often driving against traffic, jumping red lights, switching lanes recklessly, overtaking on the wrong side, and riding on footpaths, putting both motorists and pedestrians at risk.
Boda boda operators, however, argued that in some cases where vehicles were torched, the crimes were committed by other road users who rushed to accident scenes.
