Boda boda riders in Kitengela are demanding for the release of their colleagues, who were arrested last week for stoning a female motorist, who knocked down one of them.
Over 1500 boda boda riders downed their tools on Monday, protesting the arrests and detention of their colleagues, saying that they were willing to corporate with the police, if they set them free.
The agitated riders accused police officers of arresting them randomly, yet their leaders had offered to help the police identify culprits. They also ignored a meeting that the police and local administration had convened on Monday morning.
They went an extra miles of forcing those who did not want to take part in the protests to join them and proceeded to the Deputy County Commissioner’s office where they parked their motorcycles.
“We do not support the (Thursday’s) barbaric incident but this will not be used by the police to harass us. Some of our innocent colleagues have been arrested and taken to court. We will not resume operations until they are released,” one of the riders said.
Kitengela Boda Boda Association chairperson Geoffrey Karanja said that they will not allow police officers to intimidate them.
“We want justice for the motorists who were attacked and justice for our innocent riders in police custody, we have bad riders among us but it is high time the police respected our trade,” he said.
Kitengela Deputy County Commissioner Chrispus Mwazoya, Kitengela OCS David Ole Shani and Base Commander Sarah Boella intervened and ordered the riders to disperse.
“We will not allow a few criminals to take over Kitengela town, either you obey the law or leave Kitengela,” Mwazayo said.
Ntsa Boda Boda, this is that Kitengela Nissan Juke which hit a bodaboda.Reason why bodaboda is messy is coz those implementing laws and rules are SUV owners. @ntsa_kenya ,@kipmurkomen Give me a job, I help you fully. Have a degree in accounting from Technical university of kenya pic.twitter.com/L0GQgU9G3Z
— 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗲 🎓🎩 (@Fahrisee) January 21, 2024