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President William Ruto continued his push for the transformation of the boda boda industry, revealing that the government has incentivised the importation and assembly of electric motorbikes in Kenya by exempting VAT charging infrastructure and battery swaps.
Speaking during the launch of the Boda Boda care in KICC, Nairobi, on June 26, President Ruto reiterated his support for boda boda riders, revealing that he had spent Sh250 million of his personal funds in harambees for boda boda riders.
During the event, the head of state emphasised the importance of operators organising themselves in saccos so that their issues are better managed by the government.
He said that his administration would help riders exchange their current fuel motorcycles for electric ones with better efficiency and cleaner energy.
According to his estimation, Kenya would have 10,000 electric boda bodas by September 1, 2023.
The head of state noted that Kenya has 1.8 million boda boda riders contributing about Sh1 billion to the economy daily.
He said that the use of electric boda boda would reduce the demand for fuel which has also led to the deterioration of Kenya’s currency due to the demand for dollars used to purchase the oil.
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President Ruto promised to introduce a cheaper electricity tariff for charging stations, to reduce the maximum amount charged to Sh8.
He also said that through the Boda Boda care program, 116,000 riders would get free NHIF family cover immediately.
Ruto warned against politicizing the boda boda sector, saying it should be respected like any other business.
He called on the Ministry of Transport to partner with the National Youth Service and county government to bring down the cost of training and licences for boda bodas from Sh8,000 to Sh2,500.