Nairobi City residents can now hope for order and sanity in the capital City after Nairobi Governor Ann Kananu struck a deal with boda boda operators to end the menace that has affected the sector for years.

In the deal, Nairobi City County Government will register all boda boda operators in the sub-county level and issue them with unique identification numbers that will be used to enforce order and sanity in the sector.

Speaking on Thursday at City Hall after meeting with representatives of boda boda operators in Nairobi, Governor Kananu however called for order and sanity to be restored in the Capital City by bodaboda riders especially in the Central Business District.

“Sanity must be restored in Nairobi City County. All bodaboda riders have to be registered through Saccos to enable the County Government weed out rogue riders," said Kananu during a meeting with the boda boda officials.

Kananu said that once the bodaboda riders are registered at the Sub-County level, City Hall will issue them with County stickers to identify them from riders from other Counties.

“My administration will immediately form a committee to hold further discussions with the bodaboda representatives to ensure that there is continued talks, compliance and orderliness in Nairobi City,” added Kananu.

The boda boda operators in Nairobi can also breathe a sigh of relief after Kananu ordered for unconditional release of impounded motorbikes with petty offences.  

Kananu directed the Nairobi City County Government Inspectorate Department to hand over the impounded motorbikes to the rightful owners once they produce ownership documents.

“The detained motorbikes that were confiscated on minor offences will be released to the logbook owners subject to provision of relevant documentation,” she said.

The Governor has further assured the boda boda operators that the Nairobi City County Government Askaris will not harass them if they obey all traffic rules and City bylaws. 

“I believe in empowerment of the youth and I would also like each Sacco to identify representatives who will be trained by the County on disaster management so that we can use our boda boda operators during emergency cases on our roads,” Kananu stated.

Kananu also called upon the leaders of boda boda riders in each sub-county in Nairobi to hold frequent briefs with Sub-County Administrators to identify issues in the sector and mitigate on them.

Nairobi County Trade, Tourism and Co-operatives CEC, Winfred Gathagu who also attended the meeting at City Hall added that the County was ready to issue County stickers to bodaboda riders once they are fully registered in their Saccos. She further said that the County will soon support Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) such as the bodabodas sector once they formalize their operations.

Deputy Director Operations, Enforcement Department, William Kangogo said that Nairobi City County Government had issued public notice in 2014 on demarcated boundaries for bodaboda riders, but they have not been complying. He called on their Saccos to emphasize to their members on the need to follow law and order in the Central Business District.

The boda boda representatives led by their Chairman Kevin Mbadi informed Kananu that they are updating their system to ensure all riders are registered to enable their data to be included in the stickers to be issued by Saccos. 

He further stated that the stickers will have codes to enable the County Enforcement Department and Police identify genuine riders.

“We are currently registering 200 riders daily and we are requesting the Governor for more time to comply with all the regulations,” said Mbadi.

The meeting was also attended City Hall Chief of Staff, Mutunga Mutungi, Governors' Economic Advisor, Sylvester Kasuku, Govenors' Legal Advisor, Joseph Kiarie, Member of County Assembly for Kariobangi North, Maina Njoka, Member of County Assembly for Dandora 2, Ongwae Matara and other bodaboda representatives.

There are at least 1000 boda Bodas that are being held by the inspectorate department.

The meeting was called by Governor Kananu after she issued a seven-day ultimatum to the boda boda operators representatives in Nairobi to reach our over their rogue behavior following a video that went viral of a female motorist being attacked and sexually harassed out of her vehicle by boda boda operators along Wangari Maathai road in Parklands.