President Uhuru Kenyatta on Tuesday announced a nationwide security crackdown aimed at weeding out rogue boda boda operators following the recent assault of a female motorist along Wangari Maathai Road in Nairobi County.
Speaking during the country’s commemoration of International Women’s Day on Tuesday, President Kenyatta condemned the incident and said the clampdown is timely to rein in on rogue elements.
“Yesterday I did give instructions that I have ordered a crackdown on all boda boda operators starting here in Nairobi and moving all across the country,” the Head of State said in a speech delivered at the event held at the Kenya School of Government.
While he applauded the riders who serve the country within the framework of the law, he noted that the prevalent rouge behaviour by the boda boda riders cannot be condoned.
“So I have instructed the relevant law enforcement officers to use the instruments within the law to punish the culprits,” said the President.
President Kenyatta also ordered the re-registration of boda boda operators even as he reiterated the move is not aimed at stifling small businesses but rather to protect the lives of women and girls in Kenya.
He further added that the government has made progress in curbing Gender-Based Violence (GBV) through efforts such as the creation of guidelines for the management of county gender-based recovery centres and the creation of an integrated policy response for GBV in the National Police Service to provide victims with the necessary psychosocial and legal support.
“Despite these efforts, there are still outstanding systemic, structural, cultural barriers and regional disparities to address and for this reason, a continuous focus on gender-related issues is a priority for his administration,” he said.
In attendance were First Lady of Rwanda Jeannette Kagame, Kenya’s Margaret Kenyatta, and the Cabinet Secretary for Ministry of Public Service, Youth and Gender Affairs Prof Margaret Kobia among others.
Using the example of how well Rwanda’s boda boda sector is managed, the President called on the riders to observe the highest standards of discipline at all times. Boda bodas are bicycles and motorcycle taxis commonly found in East Africa.
