The return of Nairobi boda boda criminals

Many commuters in the capital city prefer using the motorcycle for its ability to navigate through the time-consuming and chaotic jams. So popular is boda boda transport that riders are found in almost all corners of Nairobi, which is notorious for unending traffic gridlocks.

The industry has also gained popularity over time because of its ability to absorb many jobless youth, easing pressure on the government to create employment opportunities for them. By 2021, according to official statistics, the sub-sector had 1.4 million riders collecting an average of Sh180 million daily, which translated to Sh5 billion every month.

Boda riders ferry learners to and from school, move luggage from one point to the other, transport people to and from their work stations, rush patients in need of urgent medical attention, and deliver essentials such as cooking gas and charcoal to homesteads.

On the flip side, however, there is the ugly face of boda operators. Most of them do not obey rules, are frequently linked to violence and crime, and above all, are known for reckless riding that sometimes leads to unnecessary accidents and deaths.

Of great concern, however, is their connection to crime. Criminals are increasingly using motorbikes to commit robbery and murder. In Nairobi, complaints abound of attacks by thugs riding on motorbikes. While all this is happening in a sub-sector that is largely unregulated, it is extremely difficult establishing whether the perpetrators are rogue boda boda operators or criminals taking advantage of existing loopholes.

Security threats

Diana Murungi, the estate manager at Fedha Estate Residents Association (FERA), says security threats posed by bodas have left citizens constantly looking over their shoulders.

"It is a serious problem. These people are really terrorizing us; they snatch valuables from pedestrians and pounce on motorists stuck in traffic jams. In our estate, they are taking over any unoccupied space and no amount of protest has scared them," laments Murungi.

Whilst city residents are confronted with many security challenges, threats posed by boda boda riders are the most serious at the moment.

Criminals now prefer to use this mode of transport to commit crimes with the latest incident being the killing of a Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) officer in the restive Mihango neighbourhood in Eastlands.

On August 7, Constable David Mayaka, who is based at Industrial Area Police Station, was heading home in the company of his wife, Hellen Kemunto, when the killers riding on a motorcycle opened fire fatally harming him.

The couple had stopped to fix a flat tire of their car at around 10 pm when the three gunmen stopped by and pulled the killer trigger. The officer's wife survived with a bullet wound on the thigh. The incident not only left Mihango residents shocked but also the entire nation after CCTV footage that recorded the shooting went viral.

It is difficult to tell whether this was an opportunistic crime or a planned assault on Mayaka and Kemunto. The incident highlighted the dangers pedestrians and motorists frequently face at the hands of criminals on motorbikes.

"It is unfortunate that the officer, a resident, was killed by the criminals who have been terrorizing us. It has almost become a routine for residents to be attacked by thugs riding on motorbikes," said Johan Marpash, chairperson, of community policing in the Njiru sub-county.

According to Marpash, the gangs oscillate between Sunton in Kasarani and Shooters bus stop opposite the Administration Police Training College, now known as National Police Embakasi A Campus.

"It is a serious problem; the criminals move between Shooters, through Mihango to Mwiki all the way to Sunton in Kasarani. The circuit appears to be their operation base and we have put in place measures to seal the loopholes," says Marpash.

Embakasi Watchdog Team led by Joseph Kodero claimed the criminals are having a field day since the expansive Mihango has only one serviceable police patrol vehicle amid frequent distress calls.

 

Motorbike criminals

According to Kodero, so bad is the situation that locals fret at the sound or sight of an approaching boda boda.

"Whenever residents spot a motorbike or hear its sound at night, they panic and take to their heels in fear. To them, it is like death is coming. The motorbike criminals should be dealt with precisely and with finality," said Kodero, adding most businesses close at 7 pm as a result of insecurity.

A week after Mayaka's killing, a security meeting was held at the Mihango Chief's Camp where it was resolved that boda operators will no longer carry two pillion passengers.

Area MCA Paul Kadosi Kiguathi blamed the deteriorating security situation on the many boda stages in Mihango, which are used by criminals to spy on their would-be victims.

Kayole Sub County Police Commander Paul Wambugu, who was in attendance, promised to deploy more officers in the area to tame the spiraling wave of crime.

Mayaka's fatal shooting came four months after two gunmen riding on a motorcycle stormed a private hospital in neigbouring Ruai where they stole cash and mobile phones.

The criminals forced their way into Ruai Family Hospital on April 10 terrorising staff and patients before escaping.

Attacks by criminals on motorbikes had gone down following a crackdown last year. But trends in the recent past weeks paint a different picture. The criminals are back with pedestrians and motorists frequently being attacked by armed gangs on motorcycles.

The gangs operate along roads, in markets and commercial centres, and in residential places where some of the boda riders are at the beck and call of their clients.

Nairobi Regional Police Commander Adamson Bungei, however, allayed fears that there is a resurgence of thugs on motorbikes.

"We are on top of the situation and I can assure you these criminals have no space. As I speak, we have disrupted some of them and made recoveries," said Bungei on August 16, hours after his officers confronted gangs on motorbikes in Pangani, Mukuru Kware, and Kilimani.

In Pangani, a suspect in the company of his two accomplices was found waylaying locals when police officers were tipped. Bungei said the gang attempted to engage his officers in a fire exchange before one of them fell down. A Ceska pistol, knife, and motorcycle were recovered at the scene. Two suspects managed to escape.

In Mukuru Kware, a man police believe is a former Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) officer was arrested, and an HK 21 rifle, 26 rounds of ammunition, and a pair of binoculars were recovered from him. The ex-military man was identified as Ronald Juma.

"He is a former KDF officer who was using a motorbike to attack his victims. He is in custody and being processed as investigations continue," said Bungei.

In Kilimani, a suspect who was also on a motorbike, was armed with a Glock pistol. He was targeting motorists and pedestrians, according to the Nairobi regional police boss.