Logistics firm Sendy has been hit by the Nairobi County government’s ban on motorcycles, losing 90 per cent of its central business district fleet.
The firm, which uses a mobile-based application on the Safaricom platform to link customers to delivery and logistics services via motorcycle riders, says it is facing numerous cancellations due to lack of capacity.
“Currently, we are running a 10 per cent fleet capacity for CBD orders. Due to low capacity in CBD, we’re experiencing abnormally high cancellation of orders from the area,” the Chief Operating Officer Malaika Judd said.
The county administration has enforced a strict ban on boda boda riders, carrying out a crackdown that has netted scores of the operators.
Starehe MP Charles Njagua alias Jaguar tried to have the ban lifted but the courts rejected the move, allowing Govenor Mike Sonko to enforce it.
READ MORE
Boda boda operators in new bid to slam brakes on bike theft
Boda boda business on the wane as lenders shy away
Competition watchdog fines Mogo Sh10m for consumer breaches
Boda boda financier rides on green wave to grow e-bikes ownership
Although the ban is not supposed to affect courier services, it has been a blanket crackdown, only sparing those with defined box carriers - a component that Sendy did not have.
Other mobile-hailing firms that partner with boda bodas include Taxify, Juu Boda and MaraMoja.
Sendy said it would rebrand its riders in yellow reflector jackets and yellow carrier boxes, and present officials with a digital ID in a bid to be allowed them back in the city.
