Garissa Boda Boda riders urged to reject handouts ahead of 2027 polls

Boda boda riders in Garissa have been challenged to reject transactional politics and use their numerical strength to influence the kind of leadership they want ahead of the 2027 General Election.

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The riders were also urged to register as voters and turn out in large numbers to participate in the elections, with leaders warning that their failure to exercise their democratic right had for years left them vulnerable to manipulation by politicians seeking to advance their own interests.

The call was made during a gathering at the Garissa Government Guest House, where boda boda riders endorsed former Lagdera MP and former Kenyan Ambassador to Botswana Mohamed Shidiye for the Garissa governorship.

The leaders said the boda boda sector, despite being one of the largest employers in the county and an important contributor to the local economy, had for too long been treated merely as a source of political crowds and votes during election campaigns.

Garissa Boda Boda chairman Maxwel Onyango said riders had repeatedly been used by self-seeking politicians to mobilise support during campaigns, only to be abandoned once the politicians secured power.

“For far too long, we have been misused by politicians who come to us during campaigns because of our numbers. They use us to advance their interests, but once they get what they want and ascend to power, they forget us and even stop picking our calls,” Onyango said.

He challenged riders to turn their numerical strength into political influence by registering as voters and making informed choices at the ballot.

Leaders said the sector's importance could not be measured merely by its visibility on the roads, noting that thousands of families depend on income generated from boda boda businesses.

Shidiye, who has served as the countrywide patron of the boda boda sector, said the industry was a major employer and contributor to Kenya's economy and deserved recognition and structured support from the government.

“The boda boda sector is one giant sector that has employed millions of Kenyans and continues to do so. It generates a lot of income for our country and continues to feed thousands of households,” Shidiye said.

He said the scale of the sector in Garissa demonstrated why it could no longer be ignored by political leaders.

However, Shidiye said meaningful political change could only be achieved if boda boda riders themselves took the first step by registering as voters and participating fully in the elections.

“I am determined to change transactional politics, which you boda bodas have been the biggest victims of. But the change starts with you. You have to make sure that you get your voter cards and fully participate in the elections,” he said.

He noted that while the Garissa County Government employs about 5,000 people, the boda boda industry in the county employs an estimated 9,000 people.

“Such an industry is not one to underrate. Unfortunately, despite the important role you continue to play in our country, some politicians have decided to misuse you. They only remember you during the election period. After elections, they never pick your calls,” he said.

Shidiye pledged to change what he described as a long-standing culture of transactional politics and put boda boda riders at the centre of his administration if elected governor.

He promised to establish a dedicated boda boda office within the Governor's Office to serve as a direct link between his administration and riders across the county.

Shidiye also pledged to establish a zero-interest seed fund from which boda boda operators would be able to borrow money to expand their businesses and improve their livelihoods.

“I will create seed money that will not have interest, which the boda bodas will be able to borrow so as to do business. I am serious, and I mean it when I say that I want to change your lives for the better,” he said.

He said his administration would be inclusive and would serve all residents of Garissa County irrespective of their ethnic or geographical backgrounds.

Shidiye said the 2027 election should instead focus on policies, development and the interests of ordinary residents, including boda boda operators who he said had been neglected despite their contribution to the county's economy.

Garissa County Assembly Majority Leader Mohamed Abdi Farah expressed confidence in Shidiye's ability to deliver on his promises, describing him as a leader who keeps his word.

“I truly believe that Shidiye is a man who keeps his word. What he promises, he will deliver, and I will be there to make sure that he fulfils those promises,” he said.

He further challenged the riders to become ambassadors for Shidiye by convincing their relatives and friends to support his bid.

Modogashe MCA Mahat Abdikadir said politicians had for years understood the numerical strength of boda boda riders and mobilised them whenever they needed political support.

He said it was now time for the riders to understand and harness the same numerical strength for their own benefit.

“Every election season, politicians hold meetings with bodabodas, visit their stages, shake hands with riders, make promises and seek their votes. Yet after elections, many of them disappear, leaving the same riders to struggle with unemployment, high costs of doing business, insecurity, lack of affordable credit and inadequate social protection,” Mahat said.

He said the 2027 election should mark a departure from the traditional relationship between politicians and boda boda operators.

“The power to bring meaningful change does not belong to politicians alone. It belongs to the people, and the boda boda community is part of that people power,” he said.

Among those who have expressed interest in the seat are Shidiye, Garissa Senator Abdul Haji, former Principal Secretary Abdiqani Dubat, former Ijara MP Ibrahim Abaas and former Garissa Governor Ali Korane.

The emerging political contest is also being shaped by ongoing negotiations and alliances among various communities and political blocs in the county.