Busia governor Sospeter Ojaamong has urged boda boda riders across the county to register with the National Hospital Insurance Fund.
Addressing riders during the Busia Boda Boda Open Day Road Safety Awareness campaign at the Busia county stadium on Thursday, the governor said the NHIF cover would help riders and their families in case they fall sick or are involved in accidents.
"Sometimes when you get involved in minor road accidents, you are not able to even raise Sh100 to pay for treatment but if you have NHIF card you will cater not only for your own medical bills, but also that of your family,’’ Ojaamong said.
The governor said he has come a long way with the riders when they were operating individually, but through his efforts he made them join groups and later Saccos.
He pledged to finance the Saccos through the Cooperative Enterprise Development Fund to enable them procure motorbikes for members and later be able to upgrade to buses.
Ojaamong said he has already assented to the Busia County Assembly bill conferring Busia town with municipal status.
He said the county has already started receiving over Sh110 million annually from the World Bank for upgrading the town to match its new status.
Busia Women Representative Florence Mutua said there was need for the riders to be equipped with training on traffic rules, adding that her office will offer the training.
Burumba MCA Moses Ochieng said Small and Medium-sized Enterprises which includes the boda boda industry are the greatest contributor on Gross Domestic Product.
Busia boda boda chairman Eric Makokha said the purpose of the event was to bring the riders together and enlighten them on road safety practices.
Boda boda accidents have been a major problem countrywide with several hospitals having multiple cases and even some have separate wards for boda boda cases.