Kenya Roads Board Spend At Least Sh20 Million Annually To Train Bodaboda Riders On Safety

GARISSA,Kenya, Mar, 18 – In bid to ensure motorists observe road safety rules nationwide, the Kenya Roads Board (KRB) says that it has spent Sh20 million to train bodaboda operators nationwide so far.

KRB said that it facilitated the exercises through the National Transport Safety Authority (NTSA).

While meeting bodaboda riders in Garissa, the board’s director general Rashid Mohamed said that the various safety programmes it had established were critical to helping operators nationwide.

The riders are said to have undergone several trainings in,safety,licensing, provision of protective equipment’s and institutional support to hospital’s trauma centers.

The exercise is said to have largely focused in 14 counties including, Kisumu, Kisii, Migori, Kilifi, Busia, Nyeri, Malindi,Machakos,Nakuru ,Narok, Nyamira, Kakamega and Elgeyo marakwet and Kajiado county.

In the 14 counties more than 5,000 riders have been trained.

During that period, KRB is said to have issued 3,000 helmets,10,000 reflective jackets and first aid kits.

“At the kenya roads board, we aim to provide efficient road network for all users. we recognize that we have various road users, we must therefore share the road responsibly recognizing that each of these users has rights to road use,” said Kassim.

According to the NTSA over 3,000 people die annually from road traffic crashes amounting to massive of livelihoods.

Human behavior accounts to over 80 percent of these accidents this includes over speeding, drunk driving, reckless driving and destruction of phone among others.

Kassim regretted that hospital wards are full of young men and challenged the riders to exercise more caution while on the roads noting most of the accidents are always avoidable.

“The question we must ask ourselves is are these deaths necessary, how much suffering shall we cause families before we change our ways. I believe as road users boda bodas included we can do much better,” he said.

To support boda bodas meet government’s registration requirements, Kassim said the board has approved the sponsorship of 100 boda boda operators for training and licensing. He further disclosed that that was the biggest number they have sponsored in a single county since the beginning of the year.

“Our objective to support this sensitization is also aligned to the sustainable development goals to reduce traffic deaths and injuries by 50 percent by the year 2030 and to provide access to safe affordable, accessible transport systems for all by the same year,” said KRB representative,John Nyangoti.

Concert have meanwhile been raised against riders using their bodabodas to transport drugs with police issuing a stern warning against them.