About 500 Boda-boda riders operating in Narok town, are set to benefit from a three-week training on road safety and Highway Code education, in a move intended to curb petty road accidents.
The training sponsored by the County Government of Narok, will be conducted by the Moran Driving School in the month of February 2024, at the Narok North Youth Empowerment Hall.
According to Peter Saitoti, a driving instructor at the Moran Driving School, the boda boda operators will be trained on the basic road regulations, Highway Code, road signage and riding skills.
“We have registered a good number of riders who have shown interest in the programme. The programme is fully paid for by the county government. We are optimistic that by the end of the training, the number of accidents within Narok town will go down,” he said.
The training, he said, will start in Narok Town and extend to other sub-counties within the county, in order to increase road safety among the increasing boda-boda operators.
“By the end of the training, the riders will be subjected to a driving test conducted by the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), and thereafter awarded an interim driving license,” Saitoti said.
Eliud Mathu, a boda-boda rider operating within Narok town and a beneficiary of the program, thanked Governor Patrick Ntutu for initiating the programme saying it will reduce accidents and deaths along the highways.
“Most boda-boda riders are unaware of traffic rules and this has caused a lot of accidents which could be avoided. We appreciate the governor for this undertaking,” Mathu reiterated.
Another beneficiary, Joseph Masika of Macedonia stage, plying the Narok-Motonyi route, said the training will help build a trust between the riders and their customers, as they will do their work in a more professional manner.
“The Governor is doing a good job to empower young people like us. We are happy that we will have driving licenses to operate with. The training will surely help in reducing road accidents,” he stated.
The training comes at a time when the top security officers in the County had raised an alarm over the rampant accidents caused by the boda boda riders through careless driving.
However, the situation is expected to change with the introduction of a refresher course for the riders.
By Ann Salaton and Timothy Tobiko
