Photo of DP William Samoei Ruto during a past UDA rally. Image courtesy
Deputy President William Ruto has asked all bodaboda operators around the Nairobi region to go and pick up their motorbikes which were taken by the police in the recent crackdown after a motorist was assaulted in Forest Road.
While speaking in Nairobi on Wednesday, March 16, the DP urged the operators who were in his campaign trail, that they should attend the police stations where their motorcycles are being kept and take them back.
He pointed out that the police were used by the political elite to oppress the boda boda operators.
“I have also said that all boda boda operators whose motorcycles were confiscated and they were charged unlawful fines should go to the police stations and collect their motorcycles and their money should also be refunded. He stated.
“Criminals are people who break the law. The ones who assaulted the woman at Forest Road are criminals and they should be arrested by police, charged, and face the law. But they should not victimize boda boda operators,” he added.
The remarks are expected to attract a political discussion as to the country’s second most powerful individual releases statements that contradict the position of the state agencies.
The DP has maintained the claim that the government was opressing boda boda businesses. The government announced that it had put an end to the crackdown.
The National Police Service (NPS), announced a halt to the crackdown in an attempt to clear the way for an imminent reform of the entire sector which is being done by the multi-sectoral committee tasked with the exercise.
