Uhuru orders police to tame rogue riders
President Uhuru Kenyatta yesterday ordered a countrywide crackdown on rogue boda boda riders even as outrage over the incident where a woman motorist was molested dominated speeches at the International Women’s Day celebrations.
Uhuru, while speaking during the International Women’s Day celebration at the Kenya School of Government, ordered all riders be reregistered to weed out rogues.
“Having a licence to operate a boda boda is not a licence to ride on pedestrian walkways. It is not a licence to hit people’s vehicle’s windows and it is not a licence to abuse and harass women,” he said. “We are going to reregister all of you to ensure sanity.
Those of you doing politics can do so but we all know that we want a safe environment for all Kenyans.”
He added that while the government wants to support the boda boda sector, the riders must respect women because they are the majority of their clients. He, however, warned politicians against misrepresenting facts.
“I know there are some who will go out there and say the government is harassing small traders. Nothing could be further from the truth,” he said.
“We want to see youth succeed. There is no government that has done more to support the youth and try to foster their businesses than mine.”
Life sentence
Following the Friday incident, hundreds of riders were yesterday rounded up in connection with the incident and for violating traffic rules.
Those arrested following the attack on a female motorist on Wangari Mathai Road could be staring at long jail terms should they be found guilty.
Detectives have preferred robbery with violence and indecent acts charges under the Sexual Offences Act which if convicted, can earn the culprits life imprisonment.
The victim, a foreigner working for an international body, was driving from Gigiri to Parklands and on reaching Barabara Tano, she was involved in an accident with a bike.
A crowd of riders attacked her, accusing her of careless driving. They sexually molested her and robbed her of an iPhone valued at Sh130,000.
Among those arrested were James Mutinda, Samwel Wafula Mswahili, Charles Omondi, Japheth Bosire, Hassan Farah, Loncon Kinyanjui, Joseph Ngugi, Lenson Njururi and Harrison Maina. Also arrested were Benjamin Ngure, Ignatius Chitekha, Martin Maina, Shadrack Ambia, Shadrack Kioko, Cliff Oyoro and Joseph Kivue.
And just hours after the President declared the nationwide crackdown on rogue boda bodas, more than 200 riders were yesterday afternoon arraigned before Milimani Law Courts with different traffic offences.
Police officers from different stations in Nairobi county were seen escorting the suspects in police land cruisers to the court premises cells where they were charged. Most of the offenders pleaded guilty before Milimani Senior Resident Magistrate Esther Kimiilu and were fined varied amounts ranging from Sh3,000 to Sh40,000.
According to traffic charge sheets, most of the offenders were those who were arrested driving on pavements, causing obstruction and driving without a licence.
The Office of Director of Public Prosecu tions (ODPP) also asked the police to conduct swift investigations and crackdown on rogue riders. “Very few of them have driving permits and insurance,” Prosecutor Duncan Ondimu said.
Former PM Raila Odinga also condemned the incident. “Boda boda riders are not above the law and like any industry, needs to be regulated,” he said. “We ask that this incident calls us as a society to sobriety and the government moves with speed to fully regulate the transport sector, boda bodas included.”
Kenya Kwanza Alliance principal and Ford Kenya party leader Moses Wetang’ula also condemned boda boda operators who engage in criminal acts.
This morning, Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i and his Transport counterpart James Macharia are scheduled to hold a meeting with officials of the Boda Boda Association of Kenya to discuss the regulation of the sector. The meeting will also be attended by the ICT Cabinet Secretary Joe Mucheru.
Unique identifiers
By yesterday afternoon, in Nairobi, a total of 229 riders had been arrested and 913 motorcycles impounded in a crackdown targeting those flouting traffic rules.
The acting Nairobi Regional Commander James Mugera said the operation will continue indefinitely.
“Kenya is a nation led by the rule of law and we will not allow a few wayward elements to disturb the peace,” said Mugera.
The impounded motorcycles will be subjected to normal checks before they are released to their owners while the riders will be vetted and charged in court.
He said the police will work closely with the Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS), the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), boda boda associations among other institutions.
Riders, who ride on walkways, parking lots and within the undesignated routes, will also be targeted.
Additionally, those who are not registered in the Boda Boda Information Management System will be deemed as operating illegally.
Riders whose details are captured in the system are issued with unique identifiers for their motorcycles and badges for identification.
