NAIROBI, Kenya – The Kenyan Senate is proposing changes to regulate the boda boda sector, a move aimed at enhancing safety, addressing lawlessness, and streamlining operations in the fast-growing industry.
The Senate Roads and Transportation Committee has recommended amendments to the Public Transportation (Motorcycle Regulations) Bill, 2023, which include branding commercial motorcycles with prescribed colors, mandatory front and rear registration plates, regular inspections, and new operational standards.
The Bill, sponsored by Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale, seeks to create a robust legal framework for managing motorcycles and three-wheelers used for public transport across the country.
“The principal objective of this Bill is to put in place a legal framework to regulate the use of motorcycle (boda boda) and three-wheelers (tuk-tuks) in Kenya, by introducing new provisions for their registration, operation, and safety at the county level,” reads the Bill.
Under the proposed amendments, the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) and the Ministry of Transport will revise existing traffic rules to ensure motorcycles display number plates on both the front and back, akin to motor vehicles.
Owners of existing motorcycles will have three years to comply, while all new motorcycles will need to meet this requirement immediately.
Additionally, commercial boda bodas will be classified as Public Service Vehicles (PSVs), requiring inspection and registration at the county level.
“That an amendment be made to ensure that the motorcycles that are utilised for public use are inspected and registered as PSVs,” said Roads Committee Chairman Karungo Thang’wa in a report tabled in the Senate.
To enhance identification, the committee proposes that county transport executives prescribe specific color bands for commercial motorcycles.
This measure will help police officers distinguish between PSVs and private motorcycles, making law enforcement more efficient.
The committee also wants counties to develop region-specific regulations tailored to address unique challenges.
The Bill includes a clause empowering county governments to craft complementary laws to enhance implementation.
The proposed law aims to address the growing safety crisis in the boda boda sector.
NTSA data reveals that motorcycle-related accidents accounted for the highest number of road fatalities in 2023.
Between October and December alone, nearly 800 lives were lost, far exceeding fatalities among car drivers and riders during the same period.
To address this, the Bill mandates that all riders undergo approved training courses before operating a motorcycle.
Untrained riders and those involved in criminal activity risk losing their licenses.
“A person shall not operate a motorcycle unless they have successfully completed a training course approved by the board,” the Bill states.
With an estimated 2.5 million registered boda bodas—1.8 million of which are active—the sector has become a critical part of Kenya’s transportation network.
To bring order to this lucrative yet chaotic industry, the Bill also requires riders to join registered cooperative societies under the Cooperative Societies Act.
By organizing operators into cooperatives, the government aims to foster better control, improve financial management, and address safety concerns comprehensively.
The proposed changes have sparked mixed reactions among boda boda operators, with some supporting efforts to improve safety and professionalism, while others raise concerns over implementation costs.
If passed into law, the regulations are expected to bring much-needed order to the sector, reducing accidents and ensuring better service delivery for millions of Kenyans who rely on boda bodas daily.
