President Uhuru Kenyatta waives license fees for boda boda operators

President Uhuru Kenyatta has ordered a waiver on licensing fees for boda boda operators in an announcement by Interior CS Fred Matiang’i.

CS Matiang’i was speaking during a meeting with boda boda stakeholders at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre on Wednesday, March 9, 2022.

Boda boda operators were required to part with Sh5,000 as license fees before the new directive.

Interior CS Fred Matiang'i Pulse Live Kenya

"President Uhuru Kenyatta has waived all that fees, you will be registered for free. NTSA will not ask for Ksh5,000, the president has said free registration.

"This will enable them to get licenses so that the government can identify every rider with their area of operation," Matiang’i announced.

The CS also added that the riders had been given 60 days to join saccos and acquire smart riding licenses as part of the new reforms.

The NTSA will be conducting a fresh registration for all boda boda operators across the country.

"From March 21, in every one of our 52 Huduma centers across the country, we will begin the registration exercise where they will be required to fill a form and after registration, they will be given smart riders license," Matiang'i explained.

Matiang'i also directed regional commissioners to convene monthly meetings to identify some of the sector's difficulties so that improvements could be implemented.

"Effective now, the Regional Commissioner for Nairobi will be having a meeting with boda boda guys every month and get to know their challenges," Matiang'i said.

The Interior CS added that his ministry was working on a framework to reform the sector but was taken over by politicians who diverted the original plans.

Boda boda riders ece-auto-gen

"I formed a boda boda task force but some of our political friends hijacked the recommendations and started spending negative energy on it. Our intention was to reform the sector for the good of everyone," he told the stakeholders.

The new improvements in the sector come in the wake of an incident on Forest Road involving a female motorist who was attacked on Friday, March 4, which sparked outrage.