Bodaboda operators turned up at Huduma centres across the country on Monday to register afresh as directed by the government.
The registration exercise will run for 60 working days and is expected to end on June 24.
Bodaboda riders from Nairobi showed up in large numbers at the Nairobi Huduma centres.
Interior principal secretary Karanja Kibicho flagged off the registration in Kerugoya and said that motorbike riding training will be offered at the National Youth Service (NYS) and other registered driving schools.
Kibicho clarified that only bodaboda operators whose motorcycles were impounded for petty offences will be allowed to pick them up from police stations subject to laid-down procedures.
This is after the motorcycles were detained during a three-day crackdown in the country.
Police say operators of impounded motorcycles are required to produce driving licenses, insurance cover, logbooks and reflector jackets.
However, the directive was suspended to allow a multi-sectoral team to conduct registration and training of the riders.
He added that it does not apply to bikes and operators facing charges and investigations of serious crimes.
“I urge all the bodaboda operators across the country to take advantage of the 60-day window to register free and instil order in the critical sub-sector,” Kibicho said.
Motorcycle riders in Nairobi said that it was a good opportunity to enhance security in the sector.
John Nyongesa, a rider from Roysambu, said that the registration was good because when a mistake is done, they can identify individual people and not the motorcycle riders as a community.
“I am happy to register today because I know that it is one step ahead in enhancing security for both the bodaboda rider and the passenger. This process is essential because it helps to weed out perennial offenders rather than condemning everyone for the mistake of one bodaboda rider,” Nyongesa said.
Nairobi motorcycle rider Kennedy Onyango said that the registration will help avoid unnecessary stops by police to check driving license and insurance.
“Some of us depend on this business to feed our families so I encourage other bodaboda riders to come out in huge numbers and register because it is our duty to safeguard everyone who will use this means of transport,” said Onyango.
