In the last 10 years, Kenya has seen an unprecedented rise in the number of motorcycles imported as transport modules.
The ingenuity in utilizing these mechanical work-horses has been taken advantage of by a large number of people across the country and in Machakos county it is no different.
This is a multi-million shilling business with motorcycles handling everything from transporting goods to people and animals across hundreds of kilometers. I met up with a boda boda rider called Kevin, popularly known as 'ghost rider', who specializes in goods, and inquired about the benefits of using these vehicles.
He says that motorcycles are most preferred by many people because they can access roads inaccessible by four wheeled vehicles. This is one of the reasons why they can be found in the most remote areas of the county, and their frugality in terms of fuel consumption.
They are quite efficient and equally as resilient in the extreme heat, dust and poor road infrastructure. They are also quite cheap to purchase and repair, which means they are within the reach of most low-income earners.
He says that businesses particularly in remote areas prefer using motorcycles for transport because of not only their cheap costs in maintenance but also due to efficiency.
They make immediate deliveries and can be used for lighter loads. He says that unless they invent teleportation, the motorcycle is here to stay.