Food scientist Dr Dennis Adison Ouma has sparked controversy and stirred mixed reactions after calling for the immediate removal of boda boda riders and mkokoteni pushers from Nairobi’s CBD.
According to Ouma, boda bodas and cart pushers have invaded walkways in the capital, causing traffic jams, flouting traffic rules, and having a ripple effect on the country’s economy.
“Boda boda (motorbikes) and mkokoteni (hand carts) should not be allowed in Nairobi CBD. Whoever allowed them in is a fool, and they must be removed immediately. The boda boda riders have occupied all walkways in the CBD and are flouting traffic rules everywhere. It is total chaos. Mkokoteni pullers create traffic jams on all CBD roads as they use the main roads. This is unacceptable, Mr. Sakaja, he wrote on X.
Nairobi’s long battle with public transport chaos
The sentiments by Ouma come against the backdrop of multiple attempts by different administrations to block boda boda riders from accessing the CBD.
Matatus have also been targeted in these efforts, notably leading to the construction of the Green Park Bus Terminus as a strategy to ease congestion and restore order in the city centre. However, the terminus was only utilized for a few weeks before the model flopped and the status quo returned.
Years before the Green Park project, then Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko had attempted to push matatus out of the CBD, but the move was met with public uproar and resistance from stakeholders and commuters.
Current Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja, in the early days of assuming office at City Hall, also hinted at making similar changes. However, his efforts were thwarted and heavily criticized by sections of the business community and political class.
Boda boda sector: Economic powerhouse or urban nuisance
Earlier, Bizna Kenya reported on recent proposals contained in The Public Transport Motorcycle Regulation Bill, 2023, aimed at restoring order in Kenya’s boda boda sector.
The proposals have sparked significant disquiet among operators, who describe them as draconian and punitive.
Among the suggestions is the mandatory installation of tracking devices on every motorcycle in the country, along with heavy fines for any boda rider found engaging in unruly behavior, such as attacking other motorists.
Recent statistics show that the boda boda business contributes approximately KSh 1 billion annually to Kenya’s GDP, accounting for about 3.4% of the total. The sector also pumps around KSh 60 million into fuel taxes. According to the Boda Boda Safety Association of Kenya (BAK), there are an estimated 1.6 million riders across the country.
