Bodaboda operators have been advised to go for cheap and environmentally friendly electric motorbikes in order to save on fuel and earn profit.
Senior Deputy Secretary of State Department of Transport Mr. Ibrahim Maalim Abdi said there are two million motorcycles in the country and the transport sub-sector has enabled a big number of the youth to be in gainful economic activity.
Speaking during a public participation meeting on transport policy in Isiolo town which saw about 100 stakeholders in the transport sector drawn from bodaboda riders, PSV matatu organizations and taxi drivers, Mr. Abdi said that choice of type of fuel to use would be more profitable due to price variations.
He said that the government introduced the policy to make sure that the common people can benefit more while using the electric motorcycles compared to other fuels.
The Deputy Secretary said that major road projects that are underway along the great northern highway and the Lapsset transport corridor would open the region where the government would put up electric charging centres after every 100km.
Mr. Abdi added that electric motorbikes numbers had increased to 2557 by December last year while the electric vehicles were 1353 and the figures are soaring following the rise in popularity of the new technologies.
The Isiolo County government CECM for transport Mr. Yusuf Dahir said that the county government was supporting the youth and women to embrace the environment friendly technologies as well as planting more trees and use of Gas and electrical systems to reduce climate change effects.
Mr. Dahir said that with tarmacking of Isiolo – Mandera road northern Kenya would open for development and challenged locals to support both the National and County governments in implementing the projects.
By Abduba Mamo
