Boda Boda Riders Reject Proposed Motorcycle Transport Bill, Warn of Economic Harm
The association also raised concerns about a proposed 50-kilogram limit on transported goods, pointing out its potential harm to farmers and small businesses.
Kenya’s boda boda operators have strongly rejected a proposed law seeking to regulate the motorcycle transport industry, warning that the move could devastate livelihoods and disrupt a vital economic sector. Photo/Eastleigh Voice.
By Levin Kiprop
Kenya’s boda boda operators have strongly rejected a proposed law seeking to regulate the motorcycle transport industry, warning that the move could devastate livelihoods and disrupt a vital economic sector.
During a Thursday session with the Parliamentary Committee on Transport and Infrastructure, officials from the Boda Boda Safety Association of Kenya (BAK) voiced sharp criticism of the Public Transport (Motorcycle Regulation) Bill, introduced by Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale.
The Bill proposes sweeping reforms, including the creation of 47 county-level motorcycle safety boards, mandatory SACCO membership, GPS tracker installation on all motorcycles, and formal employment contracts between riders and owners.
BAK President Kevin Mubadi called the legislation “punitive, exploitative, and out of touch” with the daily struggles of riders. “This Bill brings not safety, but suffering. It threatens to erase livelihoods, pile on red tape, and undo years of progress,” Mubadi told MPs.
He argued that many of the proposed measures duplicate existing oversight by the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), questioning the rationale behind new fees, registrations, and approvals. “This isn’t regulation—it’s punishment,” Mubadi said. “It strips riders of their earnings and hands them over to bureaucrats and cartels.”
The association also raised concerns about a proposed 50-kilogram limit on transported goods, pointing out its potential harm to farmers and small businesses. “A bag of maize is over 90kg. This Bill would make transporting food a crime,” Mubadi warned.
Critics further slammed the uniform and GPS tracker requirements as benefiting politically connected suppliers while burdening riders with added costs.
BAK is urging Parliament to halt the Bill and instead consult with industry players on revising existing laws, including the Traffic Act and NTSA Act, to ensure effective, fair, and practical regulation of Kenya’s growing motorcycle transport sector.
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