Boda Boda: Life Scars and Ride to Early Grave

On a typical working day, over 50,000 boda boda operators can be found navigating both the villages and major towns in Kisii and Nyamira Counties.

These operators have become a vital means of transport in the region, serving both young and old passengers.

According to the Ministry of Transport, Kenya has approximately 2.4 million boda boda operators who collectively make 22 million trips each day. This sector generates about Sh 1.2 billion daily, making it crucial to both the national and county economies.

However, the safety of these operators is concerning. Statistics from the National Police Service reveal that motorcycle accidents resulted in 1,270 fatalities in 2021, 1,136 in 2020, 728 in 2019, and 591 in 2018. As of 2022, 251 people had already died in boda boda-related accidents.

Most boda boda riders are young, with over 76 percent of the country’s population under the age of 35. Dedicated wards for boda boda accident victims are becoming commonplace in hospitals. One such facility is the Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital, which is equipped with nearly 150 beds in its orthopedic ward and two orthopedic theaters.

The severe nature of injuries sustained in accidents often necessitates complicated and expensive medical care. Many survivors are left permanently disabled or require surgical implants for treatment and recovery.

Close Shave 

When Peter Ombuna, 34, left his home in Kebirigo, North Mugirango Constituency, on the morning of January 6, 2023, he expected to return to his family later that evening. He rose early to transport customers, including students and teachers, typically completing more than 15 trips to various schools between 5 a.m. and 8 a.m. on weekdays, earning approximately Sh 1,500 daily.

On that particular day, while dropping off a passenger at the Corner T area (Konate) along the Kisii-Nyamira road, a Nissan matatu traveling on the Kisii-Nakuru route lost control and collided with Ombuna’s motorbike.

His passenger died instantly, and Ombuna was left on the ground, fighting for his life. He is currently hospitalized at Nyamira County Hospital with rib injuries, a dislocated left leg, and deep cuts on his back. 

Ombuna now faces a bill of Sh 400,000 for further treatment at a private hospital in Bomet County. “I have four children and a wife who have relied on my boda boda business for over six years. I am not insured and must depend on friends and relatives to raise the necessary funds.”

Meanwhile, he must remain hospitalized until he can pay an accrued bill of Sh 120,000 before embarking on the quest for additional funds.

Lack of Medical Funds

Charles Okemwa’s experience mirrors that of Ombuna. At 40 years old, he has been operating his boda boda for 12 years and was one of the pioneers along the Kemera-Tombe-Magombo road, which was once muddy and had very few vehicles.

December 18, 2022, while dropping off a customer at Kemera Market, he lost control of his motorbike and fell into a ditch, suffering a fracture and a cut tendon on his right leg. His passenger escaped unharmed.

He was taken to a nearby private hospital but was discharged after two weeks to allow his tendon to heal before undergoing surgery to implant it. Unfortunately, he has been presented with a medical bill of Sh 110,000, money he has yet to raise. “I am struggling, but I hope to receive help from friends.

It will be difficult, but I believe I will recover and return to my family. I worry about my children’s education—they depend on me.”

Without updated coverage under the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF), Okemwa must find a way to cover the cost of his medical procedures.

Lost Hope 

Vincent Ombui faces serious medical challenges, including the loss of his left tibia and the need for urgent eye surgery. In May 2022, he was involved in a road accident between his boda boda and a vehicle from a tea factory in Nyamira County along the Nyansiongo-Kijauri road in Borabu Sub-County.

After leaving his home in Manga around 4 p.m. on that rainy day, he was involved in a head-on collision that left him unconscious for two weeks.

He regained consciousness at Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital, where he had been brought by a police van. “I was in excruciating pain; I had lost sight in my right eye. Doctors recommended amputation of my left tibia.”

He was transported more than 50 kilometers to KTRH for emergency treatment. “I am certain my injuries wouldn’t have been so severe if I had been taken in an ambulance or a safer vehicle.”

Ombui must raise Sh 300,000 for corrective eye surgery and is also responsible for more than Sh 10,000 in ongoing medical costs related to his leg injury, which has yet to heal.”