Motorcyclist riders or commonly known as Boda boda in Kilifi county have been urged to observe proper safety and traffic measures while on the road to reduce accidents.
Speaking to the riders in Malindi and Magarini Sub counties, Kilifi County officer in charge of Finance and Economic Planning Benjamin Kai said most road accidents are attributed to some of the boda boda riders.
He said that if the sector players can uphold and observe proper traffic rules and safety measures put by the government, then the accidetns would be redcued.
“It is with no doubt that boda boda riders have been attributed to most of the road accidents especially in the busy highway from Malindi-Mombasa. But in a bid to reduce these accidents, I want to urge the motorcyclists to make sure that they observe all the necessary traffic rules,” he said.
Mr Kai who distributed more than 1,000 reflectors to riders along the busy Malindi-Garrisa highway said the attire is an important trade tool that a boda boda rider must wear for their own safety.
“If you wear a reflector jacket, then a driver of a vehicle behind you can notice your presence even from a far distance and that will prevent them from hitting you. So, wear them. They are part of your safety and your life matters a lot. It is very unfortunate that whenever an accident happens, then it is now normal that a boda boda rider is involved and blamed for it. Let’s remain keen and careful in our roads,” he said when he issued the reflectors at Shella and Hospital streets in Malindi town.
Through his road safety awareness program which he initiated several months ago, Mr Kai said over 5,000 reflectors have so far been issued to various riders in the entire Kilifi County and that the second phase of the programme will involve training them in defensive riding mechanisms while on the road to avoid accidents.
“Through the Bei Kai Road Safety Initiative, we have been giving the boda boda riders reflectors but now we want to move from that to training them on defensive driving and riding techniques while using busy roads. It is in those buys highway where most accidents occur leaving most families in great loss of their loved ones,” he said.
“The trainings he said will be conducted in various parts of the county and it will involve stakeholders and sector players in the motor industry who will give the riders safety tips on how to remain safe and sound while on the road.
“Even after we issue them with jackets, some of them keep them at home, forgetting that it is their tool of trade which they must wear as they ride on their motorcycles,” said Mr Kai.
After Malindi town, Mr Kai proceeded to Mambrui, Majanaheri and Marereni towns along the highway where he also sensitized the riders over their safety on the road. He then gave them each a reflector.
One of the riders at Mambrui James Kahindi said getting the reflectors is sometimes a challenge considering the tough economic times they are currently going through.
Some don’t have money to buy them even after toiling on the roads.
“Sometimes people think we are ignorant in wearing these reflectors but sometimes we don’t have the money to buy them. So, if well-wishers like you come with such an idea, then we shall appreciate. We don’t want to risk our lives on the road. We sometimes lack these reflectors because we have no money to buy them,” he said.
Another cyclist, Eliud Konde said even if they remain cautious on the road, sometimes lack of the reflectors is a big challenge to them.
“I once survived a horror incident and the only thing that helped me was the reflector. The driver in my back tried to overtake but there was an oncoming vehicle so when he came back to his lane, he noticed that I was near so he had to engage an emergency brake and that saved my life.
Had I not worn a reflector, he would have hit me hard. So this attire is a very important tool for us and we thank those well-wishers come out to assist. We are not ignorant but sometimes we lack money to buy them,” he said.
Mr Kai promised to continue giving out the reflectors in Ganze, Kilifi south, Kaloleni and Rabai Sub counties so that the young lads earning their living through motorcycling can remain safe.
“I discovered that this was a concern but we must address it as Kilifi leaders. We have to come up with different mechanism to make this come true for our riders,” he said.
