Bahati MP, Kimani Ngunjiri On Saturday 27th August warned NTSA chairman Lee Kinyanjui and his officers to keep off from harassing his Bahati youths if he didn't want lawful confrontation.
Kimani said that the boda boda business has put off most youths from idleness and drunkenness.
Instead of the NTSA assisting the youths, Ngunjiri said, most of the youths have been put off the business by application of very unreasonable and overly restrictive directives, which are not safety or market-driven.
Ngunjiri accused Kinyanjui of not working in the interests of the common man only few weeks before he vacates his position. He told Hon. Kinyanjui .
Ngunjiri said Bahati was a rural area whose unique challenges affecting it's poor population should be looked into with great sensitivity and reasonableness.
He however appealed to boda boda operators to ensure they were fully insured and their machines were roadworthy in order to cover themselves from any eventuality.
The boda boda riders had complained against recent directives formulated by the NTSA affecting their business which they said were oppressive and demeaning.
They said that they support some directives, especially those touching on road and passenger safety but others were oppressive and outright opportunistic.
One of the directives that a motorbike should only carry a 50kg load, which is not two meters high will not make business sense especially in rural area like Bahati.
Ngunjiri said it was unfortunate that Kinyanjui was disfranchising voters at a time when the former Nakuru Town MP was about to announce his gubernatorial candidacy for Nakuru County in next year's general elections.
"This man is a snake. We should be wary of his machinations," Ngunjiri said amidst a prolonged applause from the boda boda riders.
Ngunjiri challenged Kinyanjui to say how many people from Bahati he ever assisted in securing employment in the NTSA.
The Mp at the same time, asked Hon. Kinuthia Mbugua to order cess barriers to be erected only along the constituency boundaries to avoid double punishment on local business people trading within their areas of residence.
Ngunjiri said that the notorious Maili Sita police post had become a hallmark of corruption and impunity and asked the Bahati DCC Mr Kisilu Mutua to act on the rogue police officers.
He said that the police officers had formed a habit of rounding up residents every Friday evening and then demanding bribes ranging from shillings 1,000 - 5,000.
"I will not accept this kind of harassment on my people. It's either they change now or leave my area," Ngunjiri said.
( Caption; Bahati mp Kimani Ngunjiri addressing youths mostly bodaboda operators in Bahati. He has blamed NTSA offers over harassment and stiff penalties) credit Kel wesh