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{
    "id": 1446292,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1446292/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 189,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Joe Nyutu",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "an important sector in our economy. We have very many young men and sometimes women who are employed in this particular sector, whether owning or being engaged by people who invest in the bikes. So, this is an important sector that needs regulations. Apart from the boda boda sector employing many young men and women, it is also something that has made accessibility to some interior places easy. There are places that used to be hard to access before boda bodas came. It is important that we regulate this particular sector. This Bill will help a lot on this particular matter. We have been having many deaths because of boda boda accidents. Some of us have lost relatives due to boda boda accidents. One thing that has been a denominator in most of these deaths is failure by boda boda users, both the riders and their passengers, to wear helmets because sometimes they are not provided. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I am excited about Clause 10 of this particular Bill where Sen. (Dr.) Khalwale has talked about a board that will ensure that our boda boda riders undergo safe and defensive riding techniques in order for them to prevent deaths. Some of them do not even understand the risks involved in riding without their helmets on. Just like Sen. (Prof.) Kamar said, when you go Kigali in Rwanda, you get challenged as a Kenyan, especially when you see boda boda riders and passengers properly fitting their helmets and none of the motorcyclists ferry more than one passenger. That is something we should borrow. That is what this Bill seeks to address through these regulations. Another issue coming out well in this Bill and that is why I support it, is the idea of regulating this particular sector. As I speak, we have no regulations in this particular sector. Sometimes you see boda bodas riding on the opposite side of the road in the full glare of traffic police officers because there are no regulations. Regulations are important because we do not want a country that is lawless with a big sector that is not regulated. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I am also excited about Clause 6(2)(b) where the board will ensure that all boda boda riders are registered and licensed. That will enable us to know the boda boda operators. Without this particular regulation, crime can be committed without us knowing exactly who did what. Another important issue in the same Clause 6 is developing and implementing programmes to promote road safety, including training and education of riders and passengers. These young men and women sometimes just finish secondary school, but since they can balance on a motorcycle, they only need some instructions for 30 minutes. The following day, you will see them scouting for passengers because they know how to ride. They need to be trained as the Bill proposes. They should also be trained on their own safety and that of their passengers because sometimes they are ignorant. This is something that is progressive. I am also excited about the fact that they will be required by the board to register in a SACCO as proposed in Clause 9. We do not want our young people to go out there, make some money and spend all of it in the evening. At the end of the day, they have no savings. We do not want to have a situation where somebody rides a boda boda up to 70 years. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only.A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and Audio Services,Senate."
}