NAIROBI, Kenya – President William Ruto has pushed back against growing criticism that his administration has sidelined the boda boda operators and mama mbogas—two groups he famously spotlighted as symbols of his bottom-up economic philosophy.
Speaking at State House on Thursday during a meeting with a section of boda boda national officials, Ruto dismissed claims that he had abandoned the informal sector, insisting that his government’s policies are still grounded in the principles of economic inclusion.
“There are those mocking me, saying I’ve forgotten the boda boda riders and mama mbogas,” Ruto said.
“Let me respond today: Every single policy this administration has implemented is rooted in the bottom-up approach, always putting the people at the base of the pyramid first.”
“Who Else Put Them on the Map?”
Ruto pointed to his campaign messaging in the 2022 general election, in which he regularly highlighted boda boda operators and roadside vendors as central players in Kenya’s economy.
“In that election, I elevated the boda boda riders until they became central to the national agenda. Who else, if not me, brought them into the mainstream political conversation?” he said.
He added that his administration remains committed to safeguarding their livelihoods and ensuring they are not marginalized in the nation’s economic development.
“That is why today, no one can threaten the businesses of boda boda riders. We want a Kenya where everyone—from small-scale traders to big investors—has a role in building the nation,” Ruto said.
Boda Boda operators are legitimate entrepreneurs whose businesses must be supported. We will work with all stakeholders to enact a law that embraces self-regulation that will help spur the sector’s growth.Met Boda Boda officials from all sub-counties, State House Nairobi. Gave
Mounting Pressure Over Unmet Promises
Ruto’s remarks come as his bottom-up economic model faces mounting scrutiny from opposition leaders and a public grappling with rising living costs and high unemployment.
Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka recently challenged the effectiveness of the model, accusing Ruto of failing to deliver on his flagship pledges to uplift ordinary Kenyans.
“They promised to help mama mbogas and the youth. They vowed to fight poverty,” Kalonzo said. “But today, many Kenyans have fallen below the poverty line. Internationally, that’s anyone earning less than a dollar a day.”
The criticism was echoed by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, who in an earlier address accused Ruto of abandoning the very groups he once championed.
“Have you heard him mention boda boda riders or mama mbogas lately?” Gachagua asked. “He’s moved on.”
Ruto, however, insists that the economic transformation of Kenya must start with the grassroots.
“We are building a nation from the bottom up, ensuring that no one is left behind,” he said.
