Ruto promises to cut motorcycle prices by half
President William Ruto has promised to slash the cost of motorcycles by half, saying the move will help ordinary Kenyans become owners and improve their economic livelihoods.
Speaking on Thursday, August 7, 2025, at State House, Nairobi, the Head of State met with boda boda officials drawn from all sub-counties across the country. During the meeting, he promised a number of measures aimed at making motorcycles more affordable and supporting the growth of the boda boda sector.
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Under the proposed plan, the purchase price of a motorcycle would drop from Ksh190,000 to Ksh95,000. Additionally, he said the initial deposit required would be lowered from Ksh70,000 to just Ksh9,500, while daily repayment rates would be reduced from Ksh500 to Ksh180. These adjustments aim to ensure that more Kenyans, especially the youth and those from low-income backgrounds, can afford to acquire motorcycles and engage in income-generating activities.
President Ruto also revealed his intention to push for legislative changes in Parliament to eliminate taxes currently imposed on motorcycles. He noted that removing these taxes could lower prices further by approximately Ksh10,000, making motorcycles even more affordable for the average citizen.
“I want us to have a plan where an ordinary citizen has the chance to own a motorcycle. The motorbikes that citizens own, the price is not Ksh190,000, it is Ksh95,000. The deposit is not Ksh70,000, it is Ksh9,500. Daily payments are not Ksh500; it is Ksh180. I will go to Parliament to remove the taxes available on motorbikes, which may reduce the prices by a further Ksh10,000,” President Ruto said.
The President described boda boda operators as hardworking businesspeople who deserve government support. He pledged to collaborate with industry players to create a law that promotes self-regulation and encourages growth in the sector.
“Boda Boda operators are legitimate entrepreneurs whose businesses must be supported. We will work with all stakeholders to enact a law that embraces self-regulation that will help spur the sector’s growth. Met Boda Boda officials from all sub-counties, State House, Nairobi. Gave amnesty to owners of motorcycles which have been detained at police stations and are not linked to criminal cases. Asked the Ministry of Interior to work with the Inspector-General of Police to have the motorcycles released in the next week,” a statement shared on his official X account read.
2023 promise
The President’s latest move builds on earlier commitments made in 2023 to make electric mobility more accessible. At the time, after touring the Roam Park motorcycle assembly plant, Ruto said his government was keen on increasing production of electric motorbikes from 2,000 to 200,000 units by the end of 2024.
“We want to have over 200,000 electric boda bodas by the end of next year. We have agreed with some companies, and that is why we have reduced five different taxes,” he said then.
To reduce the cost of producing and purchasing electric motorcycles, the President said the government had proposed several changes in the Finance Act. These include scrapping Value Added Tax (VAT) on batteries, spare parts, and charging equipment.
“We have policy intervention in our Finance Bill specifically targeting e-mobility, our boda boda people specifically, because they contribute almost Ksh1 billion to the economy every day,” Ruto said.
Adding;
“The policy interventions we have included from zero rating on all e-bikes, motor vehicle spare parts, removing taxes on charging equipment, battery and lithium and the whole manufacturing of gadgets and instruments used in e-mobility.”
