Boda Boda Riders To Soon Be Required To Wear Uniforms
The move follows a high-level meeting held in Nairobi between top police officials and leaders of the National Boda Boda Association.
Marvin Chege 
Kenya’s boda boda industry is on the verge of a major shake-up as the government introduces fresh regulations designed to boost safety, accountability, and professionalism in motorcycle transport.
The move follows a high-level meeting held on Thursday, September 11, in Nairobi between top police officials and leaders of the National Boda Boda Association.
Chaired by Nairobi Regional Police Commander George Seda, the session brought together key stakeholders to tackle escalating concerns about lawlessness and incidents of mob justice involving boda boda riders.
Under the newly introduced regulations, boda boda riders will be required to wear county-specific uniforms and have unique identification numbers assigned to their motorcycles.
Boda boda operators protest in Nairobi. /NATION MEDIA GROUP
Uniforms for Riders
According to Commander George Seda, the uniforms are meant to improve accountability and make it easier for both authorities and the public to identify riders within their respective counties.
The meeting further resolved that all boda boda riders must register under Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies (SACCOs) or local chamas. This initiative aims to instil discipline, strengthen oversight, and encourage financial responsibility in the sector.
Commander Seda also warned riders against interfering with traffic accident investigations, stressing that police would act firmly against offenders. He underscored that law enforcement remains the exclusive role of the police and authorised agencies, and that misconduct within the industry will no longer be tolerated.
He clarified that the law applies to individuals rather than groups, explaining that penalties will target offenders directly. “There is no collective responsibility under the law — if one rider is involved in an accident or offence, only that individual will be held accountable,” he said.
Fresh Measures to Regulate Boda Boda Riders
Boda Boda Safety Association of Kenya (BAK) chairperson Kevin Mbadi also cautioned riders against mob justice and retaliatory violence after accidents. He emphasised that anyone who engages in such acts will be held personally liable.
“As leaders, we have agreed that if a vehicle is burned in a particular area, local officials will be compelled to name the culprits, who will then face arrest,” Mbadi stated, noting that criminals often use boda bodas to flee crime scenes.
He also revealed that BAK had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a team of lawyers who will offer free legal services to riders involved in road-related disputes. Mbadi reiterated that it is the duty of police to process accident or crime scenes, not victims, and urged riders to respect due process.
These measures follow growing insecurity linked to boda boda riders, including cases of vehicles being torched after accidents and attacks carried out by gangs posing as riders. Motorists have in recent weeks raised alarm over what they describe as rampant lawlessness among boda boda operators, accusing authorities of failing to act.
Rising Pressure on the Government
In a statement on Monday, September 8, the Motorist Association of Kenya (MAK) condemned police and regulators for ignoring repeated complaints, despite rising cases of attacks on road users. The association pointed to recent incidents in Juja and Luanda, where matatus, trailers, buses, pickups, and private vehicles were stoned or burned, with pedestrians also falling victim to violent gangs.
Motorists further accused riders of routinely disregarding traffic rules in front of police without facing consequences — riding against traffic, running red lights, switching lanes recklessly, overtaking dangerously, and even using pedestrian walkways, endangering both drivers and walkers.
However, some boda boda operators have argued that in certain cases of vehicles being torched, it was other road users — not riders — who rushed to accident scenes and committed the crimes.
