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{
    "id": 1233495,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1233495/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 266,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Matungu, ODM",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Oscar Nabulindo",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "business people and criminals because of the low income involved. It is easy to lure those young people into dangerous or dubious businesses by giving them additional funds. You will find that during campaigns, they are extremely exploited by politicians. If a politician wants to cause a problem somewhere, the first people that are used are bodaboda riders. Therefore, it is very important that, as a country and as a Parliament, we come up with measures on how to regulate that industry, so that we protect the youth from exploitation. That sector is also prone to extreme harassment by law enforcers; namely, the police and county government askaris. Bodaboda riders are harassed from left, right and centre, everywhere they go. Rules are changed every day. One day they are told not to pass through this route, and the next day they are told to pass through that route. Most of them are arrested on a daily basis. Maybe, law enforcers are taking advantage of the lack of regulations to exploit those young people. When they are arrested and their motorbikes are impounded, they have to give out a lot of money before they or their motorbikes are released. We already have a deeply entrenched motorcycle culture in this country. Therefore, as a House, the most important thing to do to assist those young people is to have regulations in place because that culture is not going away soon. It is deeply entrenched and it is working out for very many people. Even business people who are starting businesses buy motorbikes and employ the youth to operate them on the roads. Therefore, it is not just a business for bodaboda riders. It involves other people. In fact, I know Members of Parliament who have invested in the motorbike industry. Finally, I do not agree with the fact that licensing of bodaboda should be devolved to the county governments. That function should remain with the NTSA. The laws that this House has passed should be enforced because they are already in place. They just need to be enforced. Registration of bodaboda by the NTSA should be further streamlined than what it is today. This will improve the safety of bodaboda riders and their passengers, including the children that they take to school. We cannot trust county governments at this point because most of them are extremely corrupt. Adding this responsibility to them will be giving them another avenue to continue perpetuating their corrupt activities. With those few remarks, I support the Bill, but with amendments."
}