Kisii: The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has partnered with Watu Credit to sensitize boda boda riders operating within Kisii on road safety and issue them with logbooks. Speaking during a stakeholders' meeting at Kisii Cultural Hall in Kisii town, NTSA South Nyanza Regional Manager Adan Adow highlighted their collaboration with different partners to address road-related matters, emphasizing that road safety is a shared responsibility.
According to Kenya News Agency, Adow stated, 'We are having a 3-days' engagement with riders in terms of road safety sensitization and issuance of service delivery, including giving logbooks and addressing queries related to NTSA.' The Regional Manager underscored the importance of boda boda operators in their mission to improve road safety, particularly in Kisii, by intensifying road safety awareness campaigns.
Adow lamented the significant increase in road accident fatalities over the past two years, reporting that 4,748 lives were lost in 2024, compared to 4,324 in 2023. He noted that vulnerable road users, including motorcycle riders, pillion passengers, and pedestrians, accounted for 70 percent of the fatalities. As part of intervention measures, he urged the county government to support the registration of boda boda saccos to streamline their operations.
Furthermore, the Regional Manager announced the establishment of a County Transport and Safety Committee tasked with identifying and addressing specific transport challenges in Kisii County. Adow emphasized the significance of vehicle ownership documentation for engaging in financial transactions or proving ownership in case of incidents or accidents.
In addition to the road safety efforts, Watu Credit took the opportunity to install and repair GPS trackers on motorbikes to combat rampant theft, which has been a major threat to the industry and economic stability for riders. Watu Commercial Manager Chris Rumenda remarked, 'Watu's initiative to safeguard customers' assets mirrors global trends in leveraging technology to improve transport security and financial inclusion.'
The event, part of Watu's initiative to bring services closer to the people, also saw the distribution of 2,000 uncollected logbooks to customers who had completed their loan repayments. Rumenda added, 'We are proactively facilitating the logbook collection process to ensure full ownership for our customers.'
Kisii Governor Simba Arati praised the stakeholders for their commitment to empowering boda boda operators. He encouraged the partners to collaborate with the county government on corporate social responsibility activities that would benefit the riders and the broader community. The boda boda sector remains a vital component of Kenya's transport system, providing employment to over 1.2 million riders and facilitating mobility across rural and urban areas.