How police, stakeholders are tackling boda boda theft syndicates

By Peter Ochieng

The boda boda sector provides over 1 million jobs to youth across the country, with a return of over Sh365 billion annually.

Statistics show that on average, a rider makes Sh1,000 from 15 rides daily, an equivalent of at least Sh1 billion total earnings daily for the over million riders in the country.

The riders provide transport using motorcycles at affordable rates. With the advantage of reaching areas inaccessible by vehicles due to poor road networks, bodas are reliable in most parts of the country.

However, the riders sometimes operate under the fear of losing their bikes, with some customers turning into conduits for theft. Some customers sweat talk riders into ferrying them through dark allies with a promise of earning handsomely, only for the rider to lose the bike.

Worse of it is that some are killed or injured in the process. In 2024, Boda Boda Association of Kenya (BAK) chairman Kevin Mubadi announced the formation of a coordinated initiative to combat the rising theft of motorbikes in the country.

The initiative involves efforts of other partners including the National Police Service (NPS), and local asset financing firms, such as Watu Credit, to disrupt organised syndicates responsible for stealing motorbikes in Kenya, and smuggling them across the border into Uganda and Tanzania.

As things stand, the initiative is paying-off. According to Watu Kenya Country Manager, Erick Massawe, authorities have been active in preventing motorcycle theft across the country.

Massawe said recently, while acting on credible information Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) officers managed to recover three stolen bikes, with suspects already arraigned in court this week alone.

The motorbikes were recovered in Nakuru, Ndhiwa (Homabay County), and Nairobi. He thanked police officers for stepping up the fight against motorbike theft.

“Motorbike theft remains an ongoing challenge in Kenya. To support our customers, we have introduced advanced tracking systems to help locate any stolen bikes. We also thank the police for their cooperation in recovering these stolen bikes and apprehending the suspects.”

Last month, one of the alleged notorious suspects, a boda boda rider, pleaded guilty to stealing a motorbike worth Kshs.261 612 and selling it at a throwaway price, in Nairobi.

Joseph Korir Maema admitted at the Makadara Law Courts on January 10, 2025, that he stole the motorbike belonging to Ernest Biwott on June 23, 2023, in Nairobi.

He was charged alongside Baraka Mose, who allegedly purchased the stolen motorbike. Mose denied the charges and is currently out on bail pending a hearing.

Reports indicate that over 10,000 motorcycles were stolen across the country in 2024, highlighting the growing trend of organized crime related to motorcycle theft.