Over 2,000 boda boda operators from Athi River town attended cleansing prayers at St Jude Catholic Church in Mavoko Sub County on Saturday.
The prayers were presided over by the church’s priest in charge, Father Josphat Makau.
Mavoko MP Patrick Makau who organised the prayers said it's high time boda boda operators from the region sought divine intervention for them, their families and businesses to be blessed.
Makau said the traders should be passionate on their jobs and perceive them like other professions so as to exercise sanity while handling clients.
He said the prayers were meant to cleanse the operators, their motorbikes and work to make the trade usefully profitable to them and their families.
Makau said boda boda operators should be respected since the industry accommodates thousands of jobless youths thereby promoting the region’s security and economy.
“The society should recognise and appreciate the contribution of boda boda operators to Kenya’s economy, the industry has ease transportation of goods and people alongside employing thousands of youths across the country,” said Makau.
Makau said the prayers were important because it takes God’s intervention to keep the operators and their customers safe on roads daily as they go round their businesses.
He said the operators should be law abiding by being responsible at all times whether on road in transport business or not.
Makau said the boda boda operators should not operate under drugs or alcohol to avoid being in breach of the law and unnecessary road accidents.
He said all should comply to the rule of law including traffic rules and regulations so as not to be in logger heads with police officers.
Makau said the traders should all ensure they were in recommended safety gears while on duty to avoid being harassed by the police.
He said they should not flout traffic rules such as over speeding, over lapping, overloading and riding road unworthy motorcycles.
Makau said nobody should ride a motorcycle without insurance and valid driving license as demanded by the law.
He said he was doing everything possible to ensure all the boda boda operators were well trained and acquired driving licenses before going on roads.
Makau said over 1,200 operators had already been trained by Mavoko CDF and issued with driving licenses.
“We are exploring all strategies at our discretion including prayers to reduce road accidents on our roads,” said Makau.