- At least 16 bodaboda riders have died in Nairobi alone due to accidents on various roads since January this year
- Up to 32 people have lost their lives between January 1 and February 10 for ignoring footbridges constructed along various highways in Nairobi
More than 100 bodaboda operators were at the weekend detained in a police operation targeting those breaking the law in the city.
This follows a warning by traffic police that they will launch the operation jointly with county officials targeting the operators who are breaking the law.
Police say at least 16 bodaboda riders have died in Nairobi alone due to accidents on various roads since January this year.
Nairobi Traffic Commandant Joshua Omukata added three-pedal cyclists and eight pillion passengers have also died in the period as a result of accidents.
He said the accidents were caused by the recklessness of the riders and announced an operation to target those breaking traffic rules.
He said the operation within the city is aimed at streamlining the bodaboda sector. There has been resistance to planned reforms in the sector at large.
Omukata added that people who also agree to board bodaboda that has more than two passengers are to blame and if they are found, they will also be arrested.
“Bodaboda riders have formed a habit of not stopping when flagged down by an officer and that needs to stop.
Action will be taken against such going forward and the excess pillion passengers will be arrested and charged for not adhering to laid out rules.”
Omukata also asked pedestrians to strictly make use of footbridges constructed on city roads.
Omukata said the country is losing tens of people and in particular pedestrians who avoid using footbridges that are near the scenes of accidents.
He said up to 32 people have lost their lives between January 1 and February 10 for ignoring footbridges constructed along various highways in Nairobi.
Some 89 others are sustaining serious injuries, including broken limbs, as two others suffer slight injuries in accidents that could have been avoided.
He warned they will be forced to position personnel to target those not using the bridges.
He said the bridges along Mbagathi way to Kenyatta Market, at Garden City and Outer Ring Road city, are the most ignored by pedestrians.
“If that is the trend now, you can imagine how the figures will be if something is not done by the time we are getting to December,” he said.
The footbridges are constructed at highly populated points along major highways to ensure the safety of pedestrians but are continuously ignored.
However, according to Omukata, some pedestrians are dying for not using a footbridge that is about 10 metres away from them.
The situation has forced engineers constructing the roads to be advised to put barriers that block pedestrians from crossing highways at undesignated points such as Roysambu and recently along the Eastern bypass.
Omukata told Kenyans the footbridges were made for their safety and reminded them that failing to use them is tantamount to breaking the law.
“You see, crossing over a highway with three or four lanes makes the pedestrian move in a diagonal manner thus elongating the distance they would have crossed the road had they moved straight.
The pedestrian will then end up being hit by an innocent motorist moving at 110 km per hour,” he said.