With reports of motorcycle (boda boda) theft increasing in the country, a parliamentary committee has called for a comprehensive investigation into the cases.
Addressing the Cabinet Secretary for Interior Kithure Kindiki, the National Assembly Committee on Security called for an extensive look into the matter, including the possibility of motorcycle lenders playing a part in the theft of the motorcycles and the death of boda boda riders.
“We have lost 15 boda boda riders in a period of months. This is unacceptable. Investigative agencies need to look into boda boda lenders as well. These motorcycles are given on loan and the lenders say they are insured. However, when they are stolen, there is no compensation,” a member of the committee stated.
Kindiki did not respond to the allegations of lender involvement in motorcycle theft in his responses to the committee.
Speaking on ensuring sanity in the boda boda industry, Kindiki said the government is taking various measures to reduce the rate of deaths among the riders.
“We are working to enhance traffic regulation in the sector. We realize that the riders can be both victims and perpetrators of crime. We are investing in data collection and working with the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) and the police to create orderliness in the sector,” Kindiki explained.
He also recognized the fact that some hospitals in the country have a special wing for boda boda riders, saying the government is working to mitigate the challenges facing the industry.
Government’s Plan to Ensure Law and Order in Taita Taveta
The committee also heard that of the 15 reported deaths of riders in the past few months, seven were from Taita Taveta County, a statistic that raised alarm during the hearing.
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Kindiki responded saying that the government is working to address the cases of boda boda theft.
In addition, the Committee discussed the question of police officers overstaying in one station for years.
“It is not acceptable to have a police officer serving in one station for seven years or longer. We understand that such a situation leads to officers being over familiar with the community, and thus lose their authority in the area. We are working to rectify that,” the cabinet secretary explained.
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Kindiki was responding to a claim by a member of the committee that a prisoner suspected of murder escaped from a prison in Taita Taveta county. He added that the national government was going to increase police patrols and work with county in community policing efforts.
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