Nairobi: Boda Boda Association Rejects Motorcycle Bill, Warns It Risks Driving Families Into Poverty
- Boda boda operators say a proposed motorcycle regulation law could dismantle their livelihoods and expose them to new forms of exploitation
- Riders warn that the bill duplicates existing structures and opens the door to extortion, red tape, and increased operating costs
- The association calls for a full review of the proposed law and urges parliament to involve key players before making changes
TUKO.co.ke journalist Harry Ivan Mboto has over three years of experience reporting on politics and current affairs in Kenya
Nairobi – Kenya’s boda boda sector, one of the country’s largest sources of informal employment, is in uproar over a proposed law that riders fear will choke their livelihoods and destabilise the industry.
Source: UGC
The Boda Boda Safety Association of Kenya (BAK) has rejected the Public Transport (Motorcycle Regulation) Bill, 2023—currently before the Senate—calling it oppressive, disconnected from grassroots realities, and likely to fuel poverty among millions of Kenyans who rely on two-wheel transport for income.
Speaking before the Parliamentary Departmental Committee on Transport and Infrastructure, BAK said the bill, introduced by Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale, imposes harsh regulations that do little to improve safety but much to burden riders with bureaucracy, double fees, and unnecessary restrictions.
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Why are boda boda riders rejecting Khalwale's bill?
At the centre of their concerns is the creation of 47 county-level motorcycle transport and safety boards, despite the presence of the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), which already handles rider registration and road safety enforcement across the country.
Under the bill, riders would be required to re-register in every county they operate in, essentially duplicating a process already handled digitally by the NTSA.
“This is not streamlining. It’s complicating. We’re being asked to start over, pay again, and follow conflicting county rules, all while trying to survive,” said BAK president Kevin Mubadi.
The association warned that this duplication could lead to more harassment from authorities, increased opportunities for corruption, and confusion for both riders and regulators.
It also undermines efforts made over the years to formalise the sector under a unified framework.
Will boda boda riders be required to join SACCOs?
Another controversial clause in the bill mandates that all riders be part of a registered SACCO or cooperative.
While BAK supported organised structures, it insisted that membership should remain voluntary. Forcing riders into SACCOs, they said, could exclude many of the poorest, especially those struggling to meet daily operational costs.
“We’re not against order, we’re against coercion. If joining a SACCO becomes a condition to operate, it gives room for cartels to thrive,” Mubadi said.
Even more worrying to operators is a proposed requirement for all motorcycles to be fitted with GPS tracking devices.
The Bill also dictates that dealers must provide helmets and jackets in specific colours, and that riders must sign formal employment contracts with motorcycle owners.
According to BAK, these conditions will drive up costs significantly. Most riders work under informal agreements with owners, based on flexibility and trust. Enforcing formal contracts, they argued, is impractical in a highly fluid, low-margin environment.
Source: Twitter
Will Khalwale's bill illegalise carrying over 50 kg weight?
The group further criticised the bill’s clause limiting load weights to 50 kg per motorcycle.
This provision, they said, would make it illegal for riders to transport common goods like sacks of maize or household supplies, cutting off remote communities from vital transport links.
“A standard bag of maize is nearly double that limit. Are we now criminalising the transport of food?” BAK posed, noting the potential damage to farmers, traders, and low-income consumers in rural areas.
The association also opposed devolving motorcycle transport regulation entirely to counties, stating that it would contradict the NTSA Act and introduce inconsistent enforcement and legal confusion across different regions.
In a firm call to action, BAK urged Parliament to suspend the Bill and instead initiate an inclusive process to amend the Traffic and NTSA Acts.
They emphasised the importance of engaging riders, unions, county governments, and civil society to ensure that any reforms strengthen the sector rather than destroy it.
“The boda boda community is not a threat to the nation, it is an engine of opportunity. We are parents, providers, and entrepreneurs. This bill, as it stands, is not regulation. It is rejection of the very people who help Kenya move forward,” said Mubadi.
Should boda bodas be banned from cities?
In a related development previously covered by TUKO.co.ke, President William Ruto’s constitutional advisor, Makau Mutua, proposed a total ban on boda bodas from Kenyan roads.
He argued that the motorcycle transport system had become a source of chaos and indiscipline, especially in urban areas, making towns and cities difficult to navigate.
Mutua made the remarks in a tweet on Thursday, July 17, stating that the boda boda culture had evolved into a public nuisance and was eroding the country’s image.
According to Mutua, banning boda bodas from all major cities and towns would help restore discipline and create a more organised transport system.
Proofreading by Jackson Otukho, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
