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{
    "id": 1547329,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1547329/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 862,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Ndhiwa, ODM",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Martin Owino",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. My appreciation for the time. I support this Motion and congratulate my friend, Hon. TJ Kajwang’ and the team. This is long overdue. Bodaboda come in many forms. Some are tricycle, others are bicycles while others are e-bikes. Reviewing the regulations to incorporate them is a good thing. People are disadvantaged in many ways. They plug into it and do not know what it says. They are just told to pick this and drop that, yet they do not know how much is regulated. We may say that the sub-sector currently generates Ksh16 billion, but we do not know how much of that goes to foreign countries and how much remains in our country. We have no capacity to ensure accountability. That is a lacuna that should be looked into. We may be generating a lot of money yet our people are given peanuts. The other important issue is the safety of operations and standards. Some of these people drop food, which is very sensitive. How would you know if what is delivered is poison? How would you know if we do not have the capacity to regulate this industry? We do not even know whether they have food handling certificates. This is a very sensitive point. Hon. Karoli mentioned drones which take and drop blood, but that process is well regulated. In fact, in order to have a drone in this country, you have to go through thorough training and licensing, which we are not doing for these people. Even though the law is being reviewed, it currently stipulates that any foreign company should have a physical presence in the country and contact information. Otherwise, some people have been fleeced just through emails. You look for an office which a company claims to have, but in reality it does not exist. We will incorporate the regulators to ensure they have an inventory of these people so that we know where they are. Should anything happen, they can then be contacted immediately. How do we designate drop-off and pick-up points? That has also been alluded to by Hon. Tandaza. In Western countries and other developing countries like ours, there are separate lanes dedicated to e-hailing motorcycle riders where they can drop off whatever they have. They are recognised as an important instrument of economic growth. They are not just side hustles; rather they are part and parcel of our economy. Designating and authorising them to enter busy airports is paramount. For example, one day I was late because of a traffic jam and I could not reach the airport on time. I had to look for a rider to take me there. If you reach there while on a bodaboda, you are told that you cannot go beyond a certain point, yet a very dirty matatu will be allowed to pass through. We are doing them an injustice. All in all, this is a good Report. We need to step it up and develop strong regulations so that this industry can be properly regulated and our people can be properly employed."
}