The Government has officially launched the registration of boda boda operators and the subsequent issuance of Smart Driving Licenses to qualified riders in all the 52 Huduma Centres across the country.
The initiative aims at streamlining the boda boda sub sector and promote road safety as well as security for the operators and users of their service.
Speaking during the launch at Makadara Huduma Centre in Nairobi, Nairobi County Commissioner (CC) Flora Mworoa said that the exercise will be conducted within 60 working days starting from 28th March to 24th June, 2022.
She said that any registered boda boda rider will be issued with a Smart Driving License after five days.
“The government is doing this registration for the security of boda boda rider and their clients so that they enjoy their job and avoid running away from the police,” said Mworoa urging them to register in time because National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) will provide 12-month health cover to the first 200,000 licensed boda boda riders.
The County Commissioner urged the riders to report to their respective police commanders in case of any harassment from the law enforcing officers.
On his part, the Nairobi County boda boda chairman, Ng’ang’a Samuel expressed his gratitude for the government initiative to register them afresh saying they shall do their business without fear.
“I urge all the boda boda operators to come out in large numbers to register themselves, not because they are doing their businesses illegally, but because they care for their security and that of their customers,” said Ng’ang’a.
To register, a rider must present himself/herself in person and have original national identity card, a copy of the KRA pin number and an active registered phone number.
Meanwhile, Boda Boda riders in Embu County turned out in large numbers at the start of the 60-day registration of boda boda operators and issuance of smart driving licenses.
The riders had already congregated at the Huduma Center before opening hours hoping to be done with the registration as one of the measure to restore order in the motorcycle transport sector.
Speaking during the launch of the exercise, Eastern Regional Commissioner (RC) Mr Evans Achoki said that the exercise is a partnership between the government and the boda boda sector that will reintroduce orderliness in the sector.
The RC said that to be registered, one needs to present himself in person with the original National Identification Card, a copy of the KRA PIN number and the rider’s phone number.
Achoki said that the exercise is aimed at promoting road safety and security to riders and their customers, adding that the activity will streamline the sector.
He called on all boda boda operators to register with saccos after obtaining the smart driving licenses to make it easy to identify and follow up in case of any rider commits a crime.
He urged all chairmen of operators’ Saccos and welfare groups in Embu to make sure that they know their members and the stages that they operate from, adding that that each Sacco will have its unique identity number or colour.
The RC also used the exercise to urge Embu residents who had applied for their National Identification cards, but had not collected them to do so as very many are lying at Embu Huduma centre uncollected.
Eastern Region Police Commander David Rono urged the boda boda operators to coexist peacefully with police and make sure that they comply with the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) road safety measures.
Rono called on boda boda operators using drugs to stop using them especially when they know they will be going on the roads.
The County boda boda operator’s Chairman Martin Muchira, called on the government to check on entities issuing them with loans saying that the entities are exploiting the boda boda operators.
Muchira called on boda boda operators to shun being used by politicians to cause chaos especially during the current electioneering period.
He faulted the way the current registration is organized saying the application form should have originated from the riders’ saccos so that criminals do not just present themselves at Huduma Center and get registered.
By Catherine Muindi and Justus Anzaya
