By Sarah Omondi
President Uhuru Kenyatta has ordered a nationwide crackdown on all bodaboda operators to bring sanity to the industry following a video that has gone viral of a group of the operators assaulting a female motorist along Wangari Maathai road in Nairobi.
The Head of State, while giving his International Women’s Day speech in Nairobi, maintained that despite several efforts by the government to support small scale traders, there was need to bring sanity to the sector that has for a long time trended for wrong reasons.
“We have had several success stories (from them) and the government will continue supporting them but that is not a licence to continue engaging in crimes and taking away the dignity of our women,” he said.
Mr Kenyatta urged leaders in the boda sector to get the criminals amongst them if they wanted to work without disruption.
He told off those out to politicize the issue saying the government was keen on restoring dignity and ending criminal activities conducted under the sector.
“I know some will politicize this crackdown but we cannot allow our society to continue sinking this low,” the President maintained.
The move comes following a nationwide public outcry by human right defenders and other citizens who demanded action against the perpetrators.
More than 900 boda bodas have been impounded and over 200 riders arrested in Nairobi according to police sources.
