Boda boda, the low-hanging fruit that spells doom
Car and General Regional Manager for Central Kenya Emmanuel Musau (left), PR Executive Tamara Asonga (right) and Nanyuki Traffic Police Base Commander Morris Njeu demonstrate proper helmet usage to a boda boda rider during a road safety training conducted by the company to help reduce road traffic incidents.
What you need to know:
- Official gender disaggregated data for the sector is publicly unavailable.
- However, the National Crime Research Centre says that in terms of age, the 26-33 years old led with a 38.2 per cent representation, followed by those in the 18-25 years bracket with 30 per cent.
According to the Boda Boda Safety Association of Kenya, the boda boda sector has employed more than 1.2 million youths in Kenya.
Official gender disaggregated data for the sector is publicly unavailable. However, a 2018 study by the National Crime Research Centre, which looked into the relationship between boda boda transport and crime in Kenya, gives an idea of gender representation.
Of the 1,202 boda boda riders interviewed, 97.4 per cent of them were men and 2.6 per cent women. In terms of age, the 26-33 years old led with a 38.2 per cent representation, followed by those in the 18-25 years bracket with 30 per cent. Twenty per cent of the respondents were aged 34–41, followed by the 42–49 year olds at 7.3 per cent, and 50–57 year olds (2.4 per cent).
The high representation of the youth in the boda boda sector is unsettling as Kenya considers this population as the future of the country. Yet they opt for the business when they should be prioritising education, a huge asset that largely determines the economic compass of the country. It’s ironic that the boda boda business is an economic activity, but at what cost? Why are the young people seeing the future in the sector instead of pursuing higher education to expand their economic opportunities?
This story seeks to answer those questions
At 18, James Gichuru started working as a matatu tout on the Ruiru-Nairobi route. Despite completing secondary school, financial constraints prevented him from attending university. Knowing he had to provide for himself, he started working in transport.
After two years working in the matatu industry, he decided to quit. He explains why: “The driver and I would get arrested, and there were constant wrangles with the owner. I would sometimes spend the night at the police station and feared ending up in prison, so I decided to start selling bread, but the returns were too low.”
In 2020, James decided to try the boda boda business. With Sh40,000 in savings, he bought his first motorcycle from a digital platform.
“Second-hand motorcycles retail from as low as Sh40,000, while new ones can cost up to Sh200,000, depending on the model, so it was easy for me to buy one. I spend about Sh1,500 a month on service and make about Sh15,000 a month. As it is, I would not go back to university because this business gives me so much freedom and good returns.”
He learned how to ride a motorcycle from a friend who let him practise on his boda boda around the neighbourhood. James believes that if you can drive a car, you can drive a motorcycle. “Instructors at driving school just ask if you can drive a car. If you can, you're given a test and issued a licence if you pass. I would have had to pay Sh5,000 for lessons, but I just paid the annual licence fee of Sh3,500,” James says.
Michael Mwaura, 25, also learned to ride a motorcycle from his uncle who introduced him to the trade. After finishing a short course in electrical engineering in 2019, he found himself jobless.
He initially resisted becoming a boda boda rider, hoping to practise what he learned but could not secure a job. He worked at construction sites and as a mover for a while but the pay was insufficient. Eventually, his uncle, who had two boda bodas, gave him one to start his business in 2021.
“My family has been in the boda boda business for many years. Even my grandmother gifted my uncle a boda boda, and he later bought his own and gave me one to start my business,” Michael says.
In a day, Michael takes home at least Sh800 as profit after fuelling his motorcycle. He prefers this business to his previous jobs and has no interest in pursuing an electrical career because there's more money in the boda boda industry. Both Michael and James have joined an investment group where they plan to buy land.
“Initially, I earned a lot of money but spent it on fun and alcohol. That has changed now,” Michael reflects.
In Nakuru County, Kevin Mwangi, 24, tells Nation.Africa that after completing secondary school, he secured employment as a waiter as he waited to join college to further his studies like any other youth. After two years of working, Kevin decided to buy a new motorcycle to join boda boda at the age of 20 years. The decision to abandon the decent job to join an industry with vast challenges was not one he took lightly, but had to.
According to Kevin, the idea of quick cash from boda boda overshadowed the need for formal employment or going to college. His father worked as a labourer to provide for their family, instilling in him the value of hard work and determination, which would be essential in boda boda riding.
“It was hard to make that decision, my parents even tried to convince me against the idea because boda boda riders are associated with crime, but I had already made up my mind. My family also needed financial support. My father’s income was not enough to cover all our expenses, and I felt the pressure to contribute,’’ he explains.
"Secondly, I saw my friends making good money in the boda boda business. They had financial freedom and independence, something that appealed to me greatly. The idea of being my own boss was attractive."
With the job offering flexibility and decent earnings, Kevin built a good network of regular customers and other riders who supported him, sharing tips on how to navigate the challenges faced in their daily work.
He admits that it can be dangerous, as the roads are hazardous, and there’s always the risk of accidents or theft, but he has managed to stay safe for the years he has been in the industry.
“I have been doing this for four years and I do not regret it at all. I was able to save and study a diploma course in business management at Mount Kenya University and even did a degree which I completed last year. Nonetheless, I am still in the business of boda boda," he said.
This is because he earns between Sh1,000 and Sh2,000 on a good day. This is enough to support his family and save a little for the future. In the four years he has been a rider, he has saved and bought land, which he is currently developing.
As to boda boda management, Lawrence Kariuki, the chairperson of the boda boda riders in Kiambu County, has implemented a policy allowing only riders above the age of 18. If children enter the trade, they are prohibited from operating within Ruiru or picking up customers at designated points.
He explains that most boda boda riders are not from Kiambu or Nairobi but are young men from other counties seeking employment, which poses a management challenge.
“We ensure every rider adheres to traffic laws and county bylaws, which require a driving licence, insurance, and safety gear. In the past, many accidents involved boda boda riders because of indiscipline, but we are striving to restore order in this industry," Lawrence says.
He also mentions that there have been incidents of rape, client-rider conflicts, and crimes involving riders. To address this, they have established a digital registry for all riders within Ruiru. This system allows for quick identification of every rider and their motorcycle. Riders attach their unique numbers alongside their licence plates, making it easy to identify culprits in the event of a crime or complaint.
Hassan Otieno has been a boda boda rider in Homa Bay town for more than 10 years. The 34-year-old said he left school in 2011 in Form Three when his parents could not afford his fees. After stepping out of class, Hassan decided to look for a job to take care of some of his personal needs.
However, due to low level of education, he could not get a well-paying job. “The only available opportunity for me was manual jobs where the salary is peanuts," he said.
Hassan Otieno, a boda boda rider in Homa Bay town.
Hassan says the youth are struggling to get empowerment. He said it has become the norm for jobless Kenyans to spend most of their time looking for job opportunities.
“Some joke that they are job hunting. I have been in the same situation, but I did not give up on how I can survive.”
From all the opportunities that were presented before him, he considered riding a motorcycle as the best. One of the factors that made him choose to be a rider was the time taken to learn how to ride a motorbike.
Usually, most boda boda riders are taught how to operate motorcycles by other riders. It explains why most of them do not have licences and are always breaking traffic rules.
Hassan said he learned how to ride a motorbike within a week before he acquired it and started ferrying passengers.
"I got a licence at a later stage so that I do not get in trouble with the authorities.”
For now, the rider hopes to get another well-paying job. He is, however, worried that time is running out as his age advances.
According to the rider, more youths will venture in the boda boda business because of limited formal jobs. He said it is one of the best employment opportunities for the youth who are desperate for a source of income. A lot of families own motorcycles and their children take advantage of this to start a boda boda business, he said.
“Requirements for one to be a rider are minimal. As long as you have the courage and can operate a motorcycle, which takes days, you are free to be on the road.”
Increased competition
Throughout Hassan’s 10-year operation as a rider, he has witnessed several challenges on the job. Among them is reduced income, which he said is promoted by increased competition and high cost of goods.
The rider is also worried about increased cases of traffic accidents that have led to injuries and death. He blamed riders for some of the misfortunes.
“Few riders are qualified to operate on the road. That is why the majority are often caught on the wrong side in an accident.”
Most riders are also said to be silently and slowly suffering from health complications resulting from continuous use of motorcycles. There are claims that riders suffer from low libido. Hassan said he has heard of the same but does not believe it happens.
According to him, he has operated a motorcycle since 2012 but has never been affected by low libido. “I believe there are other factors to this. It may be caused by stress and longer working hours because some riders are known to work up to ‘15 hours’ in a day," Hassan said.
His colleague, Sharif Mohammed, has a different thought. He has been a rider in Homa Bay town for seven years and has always taken precautions to protect himself from any health risks. Low libido is promoted by lack of rest among motorcyclists, he says.
He has taken precautions by having periodic breaks during the day.
“Some of my friends have been complaining of the challenge. My own study has revealed that people affected by this health problem never get enough rest," Sharif said.
The 32-year-old rider got into the boda boda business after Form Four. He said his family could not support him through tertiary education.
“Life became hard for me after secondary education. I had to look for a source of income and being a rider was the only available opportunity for me then.”
Sharif Mohamed, a boda boda rider in Homa Bay.
He sometimes operates in the rain or sun. He said some weather can lead to diseases.
“I have witnessed riders suffering from pneumonia when they are exposed to cold weather over longer periods. We are also prone to malaria attacks as we operate at night.”
Riders in Homa Bay are concerned about the high cost of fuel.
In Embu, young men aged between 20 and 21 have ventured into this employment to eke out a living. Poverty has forced them to leave school and engage in the boda boda business to generate income that would sustain them.
Lewis Mutugi, 21, is one of the youth who could not continue with his education and ventured into this business for lack of school fees. He sat his Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exam in 2022 but couldn't join university because of financial constraints.
“I scored a mean grade B in KCSE, but I couldn't further my education because my parents could not afford fees for me; I had no other choice but to start carrying passengers to earn a living,” he said.
Lewis, the firstborn in a family of four, narrated how he took a loan from a local Sacco and with the help of his parents bought a motorcycle, which he now uses to make money.
“My parents gave me Sh20,000. Together with the loan I obtained from a Sacco, I was able to buy a brand new motorcycle, which enables me to earn money to cater for my needs,” he said.
Lewis said he wanted to pursue university education but lack of money became an obstacle to his ambition. He is willing to go back to school if he gets a sponsor. “If I have someone to pay fees for me, I will abandon this business and continue learning.”
On a good day, Lewis earns Sh800. “This is good money, which I use to buy food and clothes and meet other financial obligations. I even save some money, which I use to support my siblings who are in school.”
Lewis, however, faces challenges as he goes about his business.
“I'm this business and, therefore, many customers don't know me. It is difficult to earn good money when a handful of customers know you. But with time I will have a good number of customers who will be giving me work on a daily basis.
"In this business, I have learnt that to do well, you must have some customers who need your services every day and they must have your phone number,” he said.
Boniface Gitonga, 22, is also a Form Four leaver. He did his KCSE exam in 2019 and scored a mean of D+ but stayed at home because his parents could not take him to college. The lastborn in a family of three soon started carrying passengers for survival.
“When I was through secondary school, my mother, who was supportive, died. My father is a labourer and he had no money to take me to college and so I had to forget about education,” he said.
Boniface recounted how he requested his father to help him with his old motorcycle so that he could be self-reliant. He accepted.
“I was idle at home most of the time and because I wanted to work to eke out a living, I approached my father and he agreed to give me his motorcycle."
He lamented that life without employment is hard. “As youth, we would like to pursue education but due to economic hardship, our dreams are shattered."
He said two of his elder siblings got married when they were still young because they could not continue with education because of financial problems.
“My father is a mason and what he earns is not enough to educate us to college level.”
Boniface, however, faces challenges in his work. “Spare parts are expensive and it is hard to make much money.”
Duncan Sigumo was upbeat about his future after he scored a C+ grade in the 2019 KCSE exam. With the mean grade, his dream of becoming an electrical engineer seemed well on course, or so he thought.
However, reality would soon hit him hard. His father was unwell, which prevented him from generating any significant income for the family. His mother was working as a house help and her meagre pay was not even enough to cater for the needs of the family, let alone take him to college.
Training
Dejected and feeling demoralised, Duncan tells Nation.Africa that he decided to plunge into the chaotic boda boda sector. A friend trained him for a few days in how to ride.
Afterwards, he secured a job as a boda boda rider. He started the job while aged 20. He is now 24. Two years on the job, he bought his own motorbike on higher purchase. He can now make ends meet in Soweto, Kayole.
Duncan says the job is not his passion, terming it high risk. He also does not like the bad name associated with the industry, something he says bothers him a lot.
“Being a boda boda rider is risky. My health has been at stake. I have been experiencing a lot of pneumonia attacks and leg problems because of excessive cold normally experienced during the rides.”
Because he is determined to pursue his engineering dream, he reveals that he has been saving some cash. So far, Duncan has saved Sh30,000. He says the job has been down and he helps out his mother with footing some family bills.
“The job has been down of late because of the influx of boda bodas. Three years ago, I would comfortably make between Sh1,000 and Sh1,500 a day. However, today, I only manage between Sh500 and Sh700.”
To clean the dented image of the sector, the rider reveals he has been undertaking an initiative to reform fellow operators.
The initiative entails forums to sensitise them to the dangers of breaking the law, and engaging in sexual harassment.
For Suleiman Kombe, being a boda boda rider was always his dream. And so after finishing his secondary education, he ventured into the field. Suleiman, who has been a rider for the last five years, says he is happy with the work.
Suleiman Kombe, a boda boda rider in Kayole durin training in online child abuse conducted by Child Fund in Kayole on April 29, 2024.
“While I was in school, I always admired boda boda riders. I wanted to be like them. I, therefore, never wasted any chance after finishing my Form Four. The job, I must say, has been fulfilling for me and I love it,” he tells Nation.Africa.
Suleiman works in Soweto, Kayole. He is employed by a friend. He also admits that the job has in recent times been on a downward spiral. On a good day, he takes home Sh700 and on a bad day, he pockets Sh500. He says he is not bothered by the bad name the industry has.
“I know boda boda riders have been accused of doing all manner of things, but that does not bother me because I personally do not do them. I concentrate on my job and do it to the best of my ability.”
More than 400 kilometres away, we meet Emmanuel Waweru in Bombolulu, Mombasa County. Emanuel, 30, tells Nation.Africa that he has been a rider for the last three years.
Before, he was a lorry turn boy and was involved in an accident that saw him get incapacitated for several months.
“After I was paid compensation as a result of the accident, I decided to buy a motorcycle. The job has not been an easy one. It has been challenging for me,” he says.
The bad name synonymous with the boda boda industry bothers him a lot. He admits that at times he is forced to talk to his colleagues on the importance of living “a holy life” even while working.
He notes that the bad name has made it difficult for them to get new customers, thus making them rely on their old regular customers.
He admires so much to get out of the boda boda sector and go back to the sand transport field or start his own business.
The father of three singles out meagre earnings as a result of influx of boda bodas as one of the main challenges he faces.
At 24, Martin Mulwa is among the operators who have been in the industry for the longest. He joined in 2015, two years after he wrote the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education examination in Kitui County.
Martin Mulwa, a boda boda rider in Makindu.
In those two years, he did menial work on a construction site in Wote town, Makueni County.
"The boda boda industry was lucrative during those days. I was able to afford Sh300 daily for the owner of the motorcycle and some little for food and daily upkeep. This is no longer the case. The main problem today is the high cost of fuel. It eats into the money we make since it has been hard to increase our fares," he said.
For almost a decade, Martin has been working towards owning a motorbike. He believes this will enhance his fortunes. Unfortunately, being the firstborn in a family of four, he is tasked with educating his siblings.
"If it were not for my kin, who I have to support, I would have bought my own motorcycle," he said.
Leasing
At Makindu township in Makueni County, Shadrach Munyao, 29, became a boda boda rider in 2020 after a barber shop he was operating collapsed. Like many others, he started with a leased motorcycle.
"At that point, the business was highly challenging. The owner of the motorcycle required Sh300 daily. Sometimes I could make only Sh300 for the owner of the motorcycle. This meant going without food and facing rent arrears. This problem still persists," he said.
For the young man who was focused on becoming a truck driver, he did not let the challenge put him down. The patience paid up two years later when he acquired his own motorcycle.
“On average one can make up to Sh500 on a good day," he said.
The money is always not enough but Shadrach, who has recently acquired a truck driving licence, has his eyes focused on becoming a truck driver.
By Moraa Obiria, Kamau Maichuhie, George Oduor, George Munene, Pius Maundu and Mercy Koskei
