The chairman of the Kenya National Boda Boda Association, Kenneth Onyango, revealed details of a phone call he received from Nairobi police boss Adamson Bungei during recent protests in the city.
The call took place on Tuesday around 11:06 AM while demonstrations were ongoing in Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD).
According to Onyango, Bungei complained that some boda boda riders were becoming rowdy and causing chaos in the city.
The police boss warned that if this behavior continued, they would “flush them out of town.”
However, Onyango denied that legitimate association members were involved in any disruptive activities.
The chairman stated that while some boda boda riders were participating in the protests, they were not being rowdy.
He claimed that those causing trouble were likely individuals who had recently purchased motorcycles and were using the opportunity to steal from Kenyans.
Onyango urged the police not to generalize all boda boda riders as troublemakers.
In fact, Onyango reported witnessing a group of about 200 riders coming into town from Valley Road who were attacking peaceful protesters and stealing their belongings.
He suggested these individuals were responsible for breaking into shops, vandalizing property, and looting during the demonstrations.
The protests on Tuesday turned chaotic not only in Nairobi but in other cities across Kenya.
Demonstrators blocked roads with burning tires and threw stones at police officers in some areas.
In Nairobi, looters raided a popular supermarket near a bus station. Mombasa also saw destruction of property, with protesters burning parked vehicles and breaking into shops in the CBD.
In response to the unrest, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki issued a stern warning to gangs masquerading as peaceful protesters.
He stated that security agencies remained alert to intercept and thwart any attempts to harm the public or attack critical infrastructure.
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