A total of 107 Bodaboda riders from Murang’a town took part in a comprehensive road safety training programme held at the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) Murang’a Campus.
The Riders-To-Save-Lives initiative, organised by KMTC in collaboration with the Murang’a County Government, aimed to enhance the riders’ knowledge of traffic regulations and emergency response skills, ultimately reducing road accidents and related fatalities.
Lauding the training exercise, Kennedy Mito, the Principal at KMTC Murang’a, who was speaking during the training exercise, underscored the significance of empowering and equipping the riders with essential skills to respond to emergencies and accidents.
“So many people have lost their lives because of lack of good handling skills from the first responders, who are mainly bodaboda riders; therefore, by training them, we are not only improving their response time but also ensuring they have the right techniques to save lives rather than worsen injuries,” he said.
Mito further remarked that such training programmes will instill discipline among bodaboda operators, ensuring they become ambassadors of road safety.
“This initiative is not just about responding to accidents; it is also about prevention by understanding traffic rules. Riders will be more responsible on the roads and help reduce cases of reckless riding,” he said.
The Deputy Principal of KMTC Murang’a, Jane Mbatia, highlighted the critical role of first aid training in easing the burden on healthcare professionals.
“KMTC contributes approximately 85 per cent of the healthcare workforce in hospitals across the country, and many accident victims are received and treated by our medical professionals and students,” she said.
“By equipping bodaboda riders with first aid skills, we are enabling them to provide immediate care at accident scenes, which can make a huge difference before victims are taken to a hospital,” she said.
Mbatia further stressed that timely intervention can save lives and reduce complications for accident victims.
“When first responders know how to control bleeding, immobilise fractures and perform CPR when necessary, it increases a patient’s chances of survival; therefore, this training not only benefits riders but the entire community,” she added.
Speaking on behalf of boda boda operators, Murang’a Bodaboda Association manager, Peter Mwangi, lauded the initiative, noting it is significant in improving road safety and the well-being of riders and passengers.
“This training is a game changer for us since many of our members are the first to arrive at accident scenes, yet they lack the skills to offer proper assistance. So now with this knowledge, we can now act swiftly and effectively to help save lives,” he said.
Mwangi urged all boda boda riders to strictly adhere to traffic rules so as to minimise the number of accidents occurring on the roads.
He further encouraged them to obtain valid driving licences and insurance coverage for both themselves and their motorcycles.
By Purity Mugo and Catherine Kamunyo
