Nairobi boda boda riders oppose June 25 protests, call for peace and stability
Nairobi’s boda boda riders have taken a strong stance against planned protests scheduled for June 25, 2025, declaring they will not participate in what they describe as disruptive activities that threaten their livelihoods and the city’s stability.
In a statement issued on Friday, June 20, 2025, the Bodaboda Safety Association of Kenya (BAK) Nairobi Branch emphasised that its members will refrain from any form of violence and will not support the protests.
“As the men and women who keep Nairobi moving through traffic, rain, and hardship, we say this clearly: we are not part of that destruction. We are not tools for political games. We are hustlers — and we ride for peace, dignity, and survival,” the statement read.
The association, whose members operate across the city, highlighted the economic reality facing thousands of boda boda operators who depend on daily earnings to meet basic needs.
They warned that road blockages, shop closures, and police confrontations would eliminate their income sources and potentially put their equipment and safety at risk.
“One day of riots is one day of hunger in our homes. When roads are blocked, we don’t earn. When shops close, customers disappear. When police clash with rioters, it’s our bikes that get burned and our people that get caught in the crossfire,” the statement added.
While acknowledging the constitutional right to protest, the association insisted it must be conducted peacefully and within the law.
“We respect the Constitution. We believe in Article 37 — the right to assemble and protest — but only if it is peaceable and unarmed. No stone, no fire, no looting. Because once violence starts, the Constitution walks away. And so do we,” the statement added.
Call for govt protection
The riders called on the government to protect their interests and those of other ordinary Kenyans.
“We urge the Government: protect our roads, protect our bikes, protect our lives. We are not looking for favours — we’re asking for fairness,” the riders stated.
They also directly addressed protest organisers, stating that such groups do not represent the interests of boda boda riders.
“To those planning to disrupt our routes and risk our safety: you don’t speak for us. You don’t care about our pain. Don’t hide your chaos behind our helmets,” the statement warned.
“Boda boda riders have built a name in this country. We help emergency cases, support families, and move the economy. We will not be reduced to pawns in someone else’s war. Let Nairobi move. Let Kenyans work. Let the hustle continue,” the statement concluded.
Nationwide protests
The statement came as Kenya braces for a fresh wave of Gen Z-led protests this month, culminating in a major demonstration slated for Wednesday, June 25, 2025.
The June 25 protest date marks the first anniversary of Kenya’s historic Gen Z-led uprising against the controversial Finance Bill 2024.
In June 2024, thousands of young Kenyans mobilised under the “Occupy Parliament” and “RejectFinanceBill2024” campaigns, breaching security, storming the precincts of the National Assembly, and setting parts of the complex ablaze.
Police responded with water cannons, teargas, rubber bullets, and, according to rights activists, live ammunition, leaving over a dozen dead, scores injured, and more than a hundred arrested.
