Opposition leader Raila Odinga, who is also President Uhuru’s preferred successor has condemned the ongoing nationwide crackdown against Boda Boda operators.
This comes barely two days after it was ordered that all Boda Boda operators across the country be registered afresh following last Friday’s incident where a group of rogue riders attacked and molested a female driver in Nairobi.
However, the August 9, the presidential frontrunner has since cautioned the National Police Service against the victimization of all Boda Boda operators due to a few bad apples amongst them.
Speaking at the Maua Stadium in Meru County during a fundraiser for various women groups on Thursday, March 10, former Prime Minister Raila Odinga challenged the men in uniform to focus their energy and resources towards finding the actual perpetrators of the assault.
“Mtu akifanya makosa, huyo ndio aende ashikwe. Mtu ambaye amefanya uhalifu, yeye ndio mhalifu…lakini sio eti wale wote ambao wako kwa hiyo biashara ni wahalifu. Watu wa boda boda wasiadhibiwe kwa makosa ya mtu mmoja…wale wengine waachiliwe kwa maana wanafanya kazi nzuri. Ningependa kuhimiza askari waache kuumiza watu wa boda boda,” Raila said.
Loosely translated to: “If anyone makes a mistake, he should be arrested. The person who has committed the crime, he or is the culprit… but not all those who are in that business are criminals. Boda Boda people should not be punished for the mistake of one person … the others should be released because they are doing a good job. I would like to urge the police to stop harming the Boda Boda people. ”
Raila’s sentiments echoed those of Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro, who is also Deputy President William Ruto’s allie, where he said most Boda Boda riders were good people and are being made to pay for the mistakes of a few bad apples.
Boda Boda riders fit into William Rutpo’s presidential election campaign messaging in which he routes for a bottom-up economic model which promises to uplift the lives of ordinary Kenyans.
In October 2020, long before the crackdown against Boda Boda riders- a sector considered highly unregulated thus breeding elements which harass other road users, Ruto was quoted defending them against blanket harassment by the government.
Ruto said it was wrong to victimize all the operators for the mistakes of a few urging the Jubilee government to allow the innocent ones to continue with their operations countrywide.
