Last week’s standoff between Kisii County government and boda boda operators was as a result of the monthly payments remitted to the authority and not the alleged diversion of main highway, independent investigations have established.
On Monday last week, Governor Ongwae ordered closure of the road in front of the county assembly building for taxi and boda boda operators in his quest to decongest the route.
This led to demonstrations that resulted to closure of several businesses in the south Nyanza town.
But according to Milton Ondieki, a motorbike rider, they were “disgusted and dejected” with payment of Sh600 per month as tax.
“Governor (Ongwae) had provided an alternative route and we had no issue with that. It is the high tax that they subject us to,” Ondieki said.
He said the ‘high tax’ has sabotaged their family operations besides throwing them to a financial limbo.
The motorbike rider added that many operators have been disillusioned with the business, something that has made a number of them bow out of the business.
“We can no longer feed our families. The situation is deteriorating and we need an urgent remedy because we don’t have any jobs. Time has come for Ongwae to intervene and rescue the young generation that is severely affected by his move”, Ondieki said.
His sentiments were echoed by Stephen Onderi, who accused the county government of maladministration and corruption.
“We went rampage not because of relocating the route but because of high tax rates,” Onderi said.
According to county executive in charge of roads, F.M Omwoyo, the county leadership constructed a bypass near Mwalimu hotel to decongest the county assembly highway and that is why the taxi operators went rampage, a claim that has since been dismissed by the taxi representatives.