Former Aide to Raila Odinga, Eliud Owalo is now calling on bodaboda operators from Kibera to form savings and credit cooperative societies (SACCOS).
The purpose of these will be to help reduce insecurity in their areas of operation and enhance their bargaining power with financial institutions while seeking loans.
Addressing hundreds of bodabodas at Kamkunji ground, Owalo told the public service vehicle (PSV) riders that they stood to gain by forming saccos since they would partner with law enforcers to weed out criminals in their ranks besides having an official organ to deal with the police whenever their members were caught on the wrong side of the law.
Owalo, who was conducting a road safety campaign in the area further, said the saccos will also act as organs of vetting new entrants into the bodaboda transport industry and weed out those who abet in crime and engage in criminal activities like ferrying robbers to and from scenes of crime. He further cautioned the riders against riding under the influence of alcohol or drugs as this was a major cause of fatal accidents among the riders.
He described other causes of traffic accidents as human error, careless driving or riding, obstruction and overlapping and failure to use riding gear like reflector jackets and helmets and told the riders that those caught on the wrong side of the law will be arrested
“You should also ensure that your bikes have insurance and PSV stickers and any rider should be armed with a valid driving licences which is the authorised FG class and you should also report any suspicious passengers and people hovering around your terminus to the police”, he said.