Kenya: Kisumu and Boda-Boda

Has anyone been to Kisumu of later between 7am- 8am and between 5pm and 7pm, either driving, on a motor bike(peng) or on a boda-boda? If you have then let me know of your experience.

I have observed with concern the number of related boda-boda and peng accidents. I have seen motorists knock down boda- boda men plus their passengers and drive away. I have seen boda- boda abuse traffic rules and cause accidents that can be avoided. I have seen motorists roughed and molested by a mob of irate boda- boda riders for accidents caused by the boda-boda themselves. I have also seen cases of the same taken to court, bicycles detained by the police and the riders getting no justice, whether on the wrong or on the right. Worse still, I have seen police officers and city council askaris take bribes from boda-boda riders.

What is amazing is that everyone watches this on a daily basis and nothing is done. The authority watch and do nothing, the society watch and do nothing and when it goes beyond the elbow, then fire fighting and blame game will start. Can’t someone have the boda boda people trained on basic traffic rules?

One of the most dangerous corners is the one off Agoi road, behind tuskyies. It joins the main stage from the rare. Right at this junction, there is Family Health Option Kenya (FHOK) clinic. On this spot, you will not fail to count up to 10 accidents in a day, and it has become a daily happening. Instead, people will laugh it off and say that is the order of the day. Even police officers manning the main stage say they are used to it. Something should be done!!

Patrick Mbullo

One thought on “Kenya: Kisumu and Boda-Boda

  1. Turfy Joyce

    Thats really devastating! To my disappointment nothing much has been done about that to date. That particular area near family health clinic is still very prone to boda boda accidents. Carelessness on that road on the part of the riders are way too horrendous! I personally fell a victim of accident in that region when a motorcycle i was on knocked a bodaboda and we both fell and had terrible injuries.

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