The government, in conjunction with National Youth Service (NYS) and National Transport Safety Authority (NTSA) will offer free motorcycle riding classes.

PHOTO/COURTESY

With this, the government has also issued a 90-day ultimatum to all boda-boda riders to ensure they are registered with NTSA and issued with licences.

According to Interior Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho, the government will begin a crackdown on those boda-boda operators who will not have complied with the directive.

Karanja was speaking on Monday at a symposium hosted by the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) in partnership with Boda-boda Safety Association of Kenya in Nairobi.

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Karanja Kibicho. PHOTO/COURTESY

The PS noted there are more than 2.5 million registered motorcycles in Kenya, out of which 1.2 million are used for the boda-boda business.

Karanja acknowledged that many people have suffered nasty experiences with boda-boda operators. However, he said they should be supported instead of being condemned despite the challenges facing the sector.

"Many of us have suffered nasty experiences with boda boda operators. But despite the challenges facing the boda boda sector, we should support the operators instead of condemning them," Karaja said.

representatives of 1.2 million boda-boda riders have signed a commitment with the NCIC binding their members to ensure peaceful elections by resisting inducements & incitement to violence in political rallies and the 2022 elections.

PHOTO/COURTESY

The NCIC Chairperson Samuel Kobia cautioned boda-boda operators against being incited by politicians to cause chaos.

“We call on all boda boda riders and Kenyans in general to refuse to be used as goons for hire. Turn down senseless offers from politicians & their cohorts to be used as amplifiers of hate messages & executors of violence,” Kobia said.