Business as usual as boda boda riders defy Nairobi CBD ban

Boda boda riders have defied the ban on their operations in Nairobi CBD imposed by the County Government last week.

The Director of Operations at the City Inspectorate Department, Peter Mbaya, on Monday said that beginning, Tuesday, January 23, boda bodas would not be allowed in the Central Business District.

Boda boda riders, however, continued with their businesses as usual on the day the supposed ban was expected to take effect.

Early Tuesday morning, the police had carried out a sting operation in the CBD in a bid to ensure full effect of the ban.

An unreported number of boda boda riders were arrested and taken into custody in the operation that only lasted a few hours.

Following the operation, the riders staged a demonstration in the CBD, after which they went about their businesses as usual; picking and dropping off customers in various points.

In a meeting with the the Boda boda Safety and Association top brass on Tuesday, the riders put governor Sonko on notice, reminding him that they put him in office.

“We put Sonko on notice that we put him in that position. Locking us out of the city means he has started a legal war with us,” said the patron Mohammed Shindiye.

“For the county to interfere with the riders interferes with the economy. A threat to the boda boda riders is a threat to more than 8 million people.”

The boda boda riders have vowed to challenge the ban in court.