Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i and Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai have been summoned to appear before the Senate Security Committee to answer to increasing unruly behaviour by boda boda riders in the country.
The Senators want the two alongside National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) to explain ways in which they will restore order and sanity in the boda boda industry.
The summon comes days after rogue boda boda riders sexually harassed and assaulted a woman on Wangari Maathai Road in Nairobi on Monday.
The lawmakers said such incidences have become a normal occurrence.
“The House to summon Interior CS Fred Matiangi, Police IG Hillary Mutyambai, Nairobi traffic commandant, Nairobi regional commissioner, NTSA and leadership of boda bodas to discuss ways of restoring order and sanity in the sector,” Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja told the Senate on Thursday.
The summons come a day after CS Matiang’i vowed to take stern action on unruly boda boda operators.
On Tuesday, President Uhuru Kenyatta ordered a countrywide crackdown on rogue boda boda riders.
Uhuru, while speaking during the International Women’s Day celebration at the Kenya School of Government, ordered all riders be reregistered to weed out rogues.
“Having a licence to operate a boda boda is not a licence to ride on pedestrian walkways. It is not a licence to hit people’s vehicle’s windows and it is not a licence to abuse and harass women,” he said.
He added: “We are going to reregister all of you to ensure sanity. Those of you doing politics can do so but we all know that we want a safe environment for all Kenyans.”
He added that while the government wants to support the boda boda sector, the riders must respect women because they are the majority of their clients.
He, however, warned politicians against misrepresenting facts.
