From transport lifeline to security crisis; the growing boda boda menace

Over the past two decades, the boda boda sector has flourished into an indispensable lifeline for millions, hailed as an essential, affordable and reliable mobility in both urban and rural areas across the country. 

The revolution has seen creation of jobs for the youth as well as easing of the burden on overstretched public transport systems. 

However, the recent spate of troubling incidents where the riders have unleashed violence-torching both personal and public service vehicles in road accidents has had the industry slowly slipping into security menace, causing public uproar.

At least five vehicles have been set ablaze by rowdy boda boda operators in different parts of the country in the last one week alone, with the latest incident resulting in the death of two riders after a police officer shot them in a confrontation following a road accident in Makongeni, Thika.

Kiambu County Police Commander Doris Mugambi confirmed that the officer was disarmed and detained at Thika Police Station pending investigations.

“Last week, a group of riders set a bus on fire along Thika Road near Juja after an accident claimed one of their own. A similar case was reported in Donholm, Nairobi, last month. These acts of hooliganism cannot be tolerated,” Mugambi added.

In another case, a mini-bus belonging to Super Metro Sacco was burned along Thika road after knocking down a motorcycle rider and pillion passenger. 

This was followed by a case where boda boda riders in Luanda torched another matatu which they later discovered belonged to one of their self-help groups.  

These acts of lawlessness have raised alarms within the transport industry, painting a stark picture of a sector teetering on the edge of a security crisis. 

And, more baffling is the silence of the top security and Ministry officials who are yet to publicly condemn these incidents, an inaction that industry players have warned could prompt them to devise a means to protect their vehicles on the road. 

Mass Mobility Operator Association, on behalf of matatu owner, said the recent acts have not only left investors counting losses worth millions of shillings but could also force them to form rival gangs to face off with the riders. 

"These vehicles being set ablaze are not only machines but drivers of the economy and investors have gotten them through a lot of sweat, and loans thus it hurts when we see them being set ablaze," the association's chair, Nelson Mwangi, said on Tuesday. 

The lobby group's Secretary General said: "What we'll be left with is the way now we organise as operators to have our own people to take security, to give security to our vehicles as the operator on the roads. If the government fails to adhere to their responsibility." 

"Laws cannot be implemented by civilians unless we are living in a banana republic. Otherwise, there is a due process on how an accident should be addressed or be handled." he added. 

The Motorist Association of Kenya also sounded the alarm over what it described as the growing menace posed by boda boda riders across the country.

It accused the riders of rampant lawlessness, harassment of motorists, and endangering pedestrians, while lamenting the silence of government agencies tasked with road safety enforcement.

“Motorists across the country are under siege,” the Association said, citing cases where vehicles ranging from trailers and buses to matatus and private cars have been attacked in broad daylight. 

It argued that riders freely flaunt traffic laws in full sight of police officers and action is never taken.
 
"They ride against oncoming traffic, even at night, blinding motorists with full beams, flickering coloured lights and forcing dangerous swerves," the statement read in part.

What began as an affordable transport solution has now morphed into a national security headache. With their numbers swelling and their impunity growing, the question is no longer whether the boda boda sector needs reform , but whether the state can tame it before it consumes the very order it was meant to serve.

Senior advisor to President William Ruto, Prof. Makau Mutua, called for a full ban on boda bodas in major towns, a proposal that was quickly dismissed by critics as an elitist detached from Kenya’s economic realities. 

According to Prof Mutua, the riders contribute to urban chaos, lawlessness, and poor road discipline, arguing that no modern city should tolerate what he termed as disorder, illegality, indiscipline, and poor aesthetics brought about by the sector.

“I am convinced that all boda boda should be banned from the streets of ALL Kenya’s major cities and towns. No modern city should tolerate such chaos, illegality, terrible aesthetics, and indiscipline on its roads. Absolutely UNACCEPTABLE,” Mutua wrote on X on July 17, 2025,

His remarks triggered an immediate public online debate, with Kenyans deeply divided on whether banning boda boda would be justified.

The Boda Boda Safety Association of Kenya (BAK) sharply criticised Mutua over the remarks, terming the comments reckless and misaligned with the government’s economic policy direction.

In a statement, BAK said the call to remove boda bodas from urban areas contradicts the spirit of the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), which aims to empower ordinary Kenyans, particularly those working in the informal sector.

“Boda bodas are more than a transport option — they are a source of income for over two million families," said the association.

"Dismissing the entire sector as chaotic and illegal ignores the role it plays in creating employment and sustaining local economies, especially among the youth and low-income earners."

But in the weeks since, a disturbing pattern of lawlessness has lent credence to Makau’s warning.

Sometime in late July, the funeral service of rider Leonard Mutua in Machakos county descended into chaos when fellow riders disrupted and hijacked the service, sidelined family members, and even chased away the clergy.

The burial proceeded under bizarre and undignified circumstances. Alcohol was poured onto the grave in what many described as a mockery of solemn traditions.

Barely days later, on August 7, a mob of boda boda riders in Nairobi set ablaze a City Shuttle bus, claiming it had knocked down one of their colleagues. Passengers watched helplessly as the bus was engulfed in flames, an incident that underscored the sector’s volatility.

On August 14, the threat escalated into the corridors of justice. Busia Chief Magistrate Edna Nyalot wrote to Chief Justice Martha Koome and Inspector General Douglas Kanja, saying her life was in danger after armed boda boda riders stormed her gate at night, warning her to stay away from a sensitive defilement case.

“These are no longer isolated incidents,” says Brian Ayumba, a Transport and Logistics Expert.

“The boda boda sector has grown into a parallel power structure, one that defies traffic law, undermines justice, and even intimidates state institutions. Without regulation or decisive intervention, it risks spiraling out of control.”

By the time of going to press, NTSA had not responded to The Standard's request for comment on the matter.