Kwale boda boda riders have been warned against preying on schoolgirls.
This comes amidst rape and defilement accusations linked to the riders in the region.
Kwale boda boda chairman Nehemiah Kinyua said some riders are hired by sex perpetrators to ferry the minors, promoting gender-based violence.
“Our youth are taken advantage of their desperation to earn a living and offered good money to transport schoolgirls,” he said.
“They either carry the minors to and from the guest houses or the culprits' homes.”
Kinyua said some of the crooked motorbike youth defile the school girls who are unable to pay for transport.
He said they carry the girls for free and ask for sex as repayment, a factor attributed to the rising teen pregnancies.
The chairman said the vice had tainted the sector's image.
He said to bring sanity to the industry all boda bodas must avoid being part of defilement cases and report the culprits.
He said none of them should engage in sexual relations with the young girls.
Kinyua said the fight on SGBV had become more strict.
He told the boda boda youth to resist any form of misuse and strive to improve the sector.
The chair urged them to demonstrate the highest level of discipline to change the perceived unruly image of the industry.
He said they must abide by the rules and regulations of the traffic act.
Kinywa said obtaining driving and insurance licenses is a must and those who will contravene the traffic law will have themselves to blame.
The youths were urged to engage in clean business and shun criminal activities.
The parents were also warned against buying motorbikes for minors.
“There are cases of Std 8 leavers below 18 years engaging in the boda boda sector,” the chairman said.
Kinyua said the children must transit to secondary schools the minors won't be allowed to operate in the industry.
He said the general discipline of the boda bodas in Kwale has improved following frequent cooperation between the police, NTSA and the youth.
Edited by Kiilu Damaris
