‘Boda-bodas’ are fast becoming Kenya’s most popular means of transport. But could this cost effective mode of transport be a death trap in disguise?
By Caasi Sagalai, Kenya
Doreen considers herself fortunate to be alive. She survived a near fatal motorcycle accident sustaining serious long term injuries. She injured her legs and developed breathing complications after falling off a speeding motorbike, which had lost control and tumbled over.
At the time of the accident, she was travelling with her 6 year old daughter, who miraculously escaped uninjured. Doreen has been in and out of various hospitals and she now walks with a limp.
“If it was up to me I would have the government ban the boda-bodas (motorcycle taxis), they are an ominous death trap. Look at me, it will take me close to a year to walk properly again due to the carelessness of some individual, I am lucky to be alive though.” She says.
Boda-boda death trap Doreen is referring to the ‘boda-bodas’ as they are commonly known. The most popular means of transport in most parts of Kenya, especially outside the capital Nairobi. They provide cheap and reliable transport to areas that cannot be easily accessed by larger vehicles, and they avoid traffic jams as they manoeuvre through traffic. However, these journeys are quickly becoming death traps.
The number of motorcycles rose sharply in Kenya since the government abolished the tax on vehicles under 250 cc in 2008, almost cutting their price in half. The move saw many Kenyans jump at the opportunity to purchase a boda-boda with a view to starting a motorcyle taxi business. Kenya’s Economic A survey in 2010 indicates that the number of bikes rose from nearly 4,000 units in 2005 to over 90,000 as of last year.
Accidents on the rise However, the number of accidents and deaths from motor cycle accidents appears to be spiralling out of control. Insurers in Kenya claim that for the same distance travelled, the death rate in motor cycle accidents is nine times that of car accidents.
So dire is the situation that hospitals in parts of Kenya have dedicated entire wings to motorcycle accident victims. Those lucky to escape with their lives nurse fractured bones, spines and skulls or life threatening injuries. The Rift Valley province in Kenya recorded an average of 30 to 40 deaths in a month according to traffic police sources last year.
Untrained riders These accidents are attributed to untrained riders who hit the road, after experimenting with the bikes in open fields, under ‘ dubious’ unlicensed trainers. The illegal training sometimes lasts for as little as two days or even hours before they pick up their first passengers. Riders have little or no regard for traffic rules. No helmets are worn by the uninsured riders and passengers.
It is recommended that Kenyans train how to ride motorcycles using 90 kilogram weights before undergoing a police driver’s test and getting a temporary riding permit. This rarely happens.
“I have no licence because this (riding a motorbike ) is not rocket science, it’s all about balance and I trust in my abilities, why waste time and money going to train. I’ve done it for two years accident free.” Poses Odwori, an operator.
Government crackdown The government is taking measures to crackdown on unscrupulous operators and is insisting on helmets for both drivers and passengers. However it is difficult to catch boda-boda drivers as they are able to slip down alleys and side-roads where they disappear until the next accident incriminates them – hopefully without killing or maiming the passengers.
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