Mobility services provider AA Kenya, in collaboration with the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) and other partners, will offer boda boda riders an opportunity to get licensed at Sh100 everyday for 61 days.
As part of the just launched national road safety action plan 2024-2028, the initiative dubbed ‘Boda License na mia programme’, seeks to encourage as many boda boda operators as possible to get licensed, so as to reduce road fatalities.
According to official data, out of the over five million riders who operate in the country, only two million are licensed. NTSA proposes to introduce new regulations to monitor the sub-sector to improve compliance and reduce fatalities.
“Majority of boda boda riders are male, youth who are usually secondary school level educated. Most get into the sector informally through peer-to-peer training and therefore do not seek the required professional training and licences,” says Francis Theuri, CEO of AA Kenya.
High compliance fees prevent these riders from getting licensed and as a result, many of them resort to paying bribes of between Sh50 to Sh100, when they are caught by county authorities and law enforcement officers, who often harass them for non-compliance.
“The boda boda riders appreciate the need for licensing but find the overall cost which includes Sh8,000 for training plus Sh2,450 as NTSA fees prohibitive. This is especially so when required to pay it upfront,” says Theuri.
The Ministry of Roads and Transport on 17th April, through the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), officially launched the National Road Safety Action Plan 2024-2028.
The launch marked a significant milestone in the government’s ongoing efforts to safeguard the safety and well-being of every citizen on roads by curtailing the alarming rate of road accidents.
“We all use boda-bodas, they support many micro and small enterprises as well as small-holder farmers. They do our deliveries, get us from point A to B and handle our emergencies. Acknowledging the significant role of the boda boda sector, we must recognize the need for more effective regulation,” said NTSA Chairman Dr Manoj Shah.
Founded as an automobile importer more than 100 years ago by an ex-Military Officer known as Lionel Galton Fenzi, AA Kenya has diversified to the provision of several other services including driver training, motor vehicle valuation and inspection, car insurance brokerage, road rescue, tracking, fleet management among others.
The firm has over 62 branches countrywide, where they offer professional driver training across all motor vehicle classes, motorbike and specialized training like defensive and executive driving, having trained over two million drivers and riders to date.
