Garissa
governor aspirant Mohamed Shidiye addresses boda boda riders from Garissa /STEPHEN
ASTARIKO
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.
They 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 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," he said.
"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 up our calls.”
Onyango 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 government.
