More Kenyans dying in Western Kenya over bodaboda accidents

The number of bodaboda operators majorly in the western regions of Bungoma, Busia and Kakamega counties has shot up. Most of those who had been engaging in bicycle business are quickly shifting to motorcycle. With this high rise of business, the concern is the large number of bodaboda accident cases reported over the last few years. Many Kenyans have lost their lives while some are merely survivors of road accidents caused by bodabodas.

It has been cited that majority of the bodaboda riders do not observe discipline on the road as they ferry Kenyans to their various destinations. These bodaboda drivers mainly consist of young men who have no training on road safety. They only eye the prize money that their customers will pay and therefore a race for who will have most of the customers at the end of the day. The transport costs a minimum of fifty shillings and this business has been seen as profitable to the youths most who are jobless.

Bodabodas carry more than one passenger with cases of upto four people being carried at a go on one motorcycle. Furthermore, passengers do not have reflectors or helmets. All this has been ignored risking the lives of many Kenyans. This has become the norm with no one raising their voices to criticise such practices. The traffic police officers who are responsible with enforcing the safety rules are corrupt and only charge the riders with non-existent crime and ask for bribes to set them free.

 The traffic police officers and the National Transport and Safety officials should run a crackdown on unroadworthy bodaboda operators. Bodabodas should carry a maximum of two passengers with each wearing a helmet and a jacket reflector. People should not continue to ignore the road safety rules because our lives are in danger. The greed to earn more money quickly should not be the reason for accidents caused by bodaboda operators.