Deputy President William Ruto has yet again weighed in on the boda boda crackdown that saw several riders arrested and their motorcycles impounded.
The crackdown followed an assault incident involving a woman on Forest Road.
In a campaign rally in Nairagi Enkare, Narok County, the DP faulted the state for imposing the crackdown yet they should have just arrested the culprit behind the assault case on the woman.
In a message directed at senior government officials, the DP questioned the validity of their defence on boda boda riders.
Ruto said it was illogical for the state to purport to protect the interests of the boda boda riders yet they are the ones who ordered the crackdown.
“Kuna watu wanafikiria biashara ya boda boda haina maana. Nilienda Marekani juzi, nikarudi eti wameanza kuangaisha wanaboda boda, eti wanaboda boda ni wezi, eti wanabodaboda ni waalifu,” Ruto said.
Loosely translated to: "There are people who think that boda boda business is useless. I went to the US and upon coming back, I found boda boda operators being harassed on the basis that they are criminals".
He added:
"Walioamuru wanaboda boda wahangaishwe si wako Kenya? kwani walikua walevi ... siku ile walisema hawa boda boda wahangaishwe?"
Loosely translates to: "Those who ordered the crackdown on boda boda riders are they not in Kenya? Were they drunk when they issued the crackdown order?"
Last week, Ruto asked boda boda riders whose motorbikes had been impounded to go and get them back from the police stations
He also said that the police should return the money they had collected from them as fines.
Thousands of motorbikes were impounded across the country following a nationwide crackdown on unregistered operators.
The order was to restore sanity following the uproar over the assault on the female motorist.
Police said more than 2,000 motorcycles detained in a three-day operation in the country are still in their custody.
The authority said the riders are now required to produce a raft of documents before they get back their motorcycles.
The required documents include driving licences, insurance cover, logbooks, and reflector jackets.
They are also being told to pay towing charges, according to some operators.
