Ms President Reality TV Show contestant, community rights activist and Isiolo North parliamentary candidate Lucy Mworia has condemned the ongoing crackdown on motorbike passenger transporters popularly referred to as boda boda riders.
Lucy Mworia urges govt to stop boda boda crackdown.
Mworia said the crackdown which is being carried out in retaliation by the police after male boda boda riders attacked and sexually assaulted a female motorist was not fair and good by placing a blanket punishment and condemnation to the industry instead of apprehending the culprits of the criminal act.
“The police should target the individuals who attacked the woman instead of harassing every boda boda rider who was not involved. How does a rider who was outside the crime scene and upcountry get harassed for an offence he was not part of or not even aware of it,” questioned the award winning medic.
“What does an innocent and law boda boda rider in Isiolo have got to do with an incident and a crime committed by a fellow boda boda rider in Nairobi or vice versa,” fumed Mworia.
Mworia said many boda boda riders in Isiolo have been adversely affected with sources of employment being interfered with and yet they were not near but hundreds of kilometres away from the scene of the unfortunate criminal activity.
She wondered why was it at this time that the regulator was by taking knee-jerk reactionary measure after the incident by following up on the boda boda riders licensing and bringing sanity to the industry which has existed for many years without much problems.
“The boda boda industry has created employment opportunities to thousands of Kenyans which has ended up in supporting Kenya’s economy. They should be appreciated for their good work instead of being wholesomely condemned for a criminal act of an individual,” said Mworia.
Mworia who is the Devolution Empowerment Party (DEP) said there are laws in Kenya against criminal activities which should be applied against the young woman who was assaulted by the said boda boda riders instead of making others suffers for no apparent reason.
The candidate advised the government to use and work with boda boda riders to assist the police in identifying those who were involved in the criminal act and identify others involved in criminal activities in cleaning up the industry instead everyone suffer from one’s evil act.
She urged boda boda riders in Isiolo seek for the main licensing requirements and appealed to the under age riders to wait until they reach the mandatory age of riding before joining the profession.
“I urge boda boda riders in Isiolo to be law abiding and as their future Member of Parliament (MP) will make and push for laws that are favourable for the boda boda riders to operate smoothly once elected to the August House,” said Mworia.
