KAKAMEGA, Kenya – Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale has affirmed his commitment to addressing concerns surrounding the contentious Public Transport (Motorcycle) Bill.
Senator Khalwale announced that he will formally write to the clerks of both the Senate and the National Assembly tomorrow, seeking the withdrawal of the proposed legislation.
“I will be back to Parliament whereby I will write to the Speakers and Clerks of the bicameral Parliament to drop that Bill so that people can go on with their normal lives,” said Senator Khalwale.
The Senator spoke on Monday, February 24, 2025, after hosting the 300 members of the Khayega Town business community at Malinya.
He described the interaction as one way of connecting politics with Kakamega County entrepreneurship.
Why Senator Boni Khalwale seeks to withdraw the boda boda Bill
His decision to withdraw the Bill comes in response to widespread public outcry and sectoral concerns, underscoring his dedication to fostering legislative policies that align with the interests of the people.
“I have a lot of admiration for my work stretching for over 20 years that I am a defender for the underprivileged,” said Senator Khalwale adding that he was concerned about the high number of boda boda riders and passengers who lose their lives through road accidents.
He reiterated that he thought the Bill would go a long way in addressing the challenges facing the boda boda sector.
“There are those who have employed boda boda riders. Unfortunately, when one gets involved in a road accident, they are deserted by those who employed them since they are not insured,” lamented Senator Khalwale.
Why boda boda riders ganged up against Senator Khalwale
He said that he had thought about so many issues that he had incorporated in the bill, but some unnamed individuals who he observed don’t respect the underprivileged and have now turned his bill into a political tool, claiming that it is bad.
“You can imagine that some young men involved in the boda boda business feel like I am their enemy,” Senator Khalwale further said.
Already, boda boda operators across the country had vowed to stage nationwide demonstrations if the National Assembly approved the controversial bill, which sought to introduce strict new rules for motorcycle transport.
The bill, already passed by the Senate, has sparked widespread opposition from riders who argue that the proposed regulations threaten their livelihoods.
Among the most contentious clauses is a requirement that motorcycles carry no more than 50 kilograms of luggage—a provision riders say is impractical and unenforceable.
Why Senator Khalwale had the interest of the boda bodas at heart
However, to put the record straight that he is a defender of the underprivileged people, Senator Khalwale said that he had the interest of the boda boda at heart.
“I had the solution to the problems faced by our youth in the boda boda sector. And because those who are inciting the boda boda riders against me because he thinks he can think better than me, I am allowing him to do what I may not have done,” explained Senator Khalwale.
Additionally, Senator Khalwale insisted that he had chosen to withdraw the bill since he didn’t want to fight with the youth wrongly.
“If the youth don’t like something, they don’t like it, just like they rejected the 2024 Finance Bill, and maybe a time will come when people will feel that this is something that should be done,” explained Senator Khalwale.
