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Boda boda operators attack police as micro-finance attempts to repossess motorbike


Police in Kitale were forced to shoot in the air after a mission to recover a motorbike from a loan defaulter turned chaotic leaving two police officers injured.

According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), during the incident that happened on Tuesday irate boda boda riders attacked a team of from Mogo Credit micro-finance who were out to recover the motorbike from the loan defaulter.

“What began as a scuffle degenerated into full-scale chaos, as angry boda boda riders engaged police and officials from Mogo Credit in running battles, bringing business in the busy agricultural town into a standstill,” said DCI.

According to DCI, trouble started when an officer from the micro-finance institution identified as Barasa Simiyu approached Lessos stage in Kitale and attempted to forcefully recover the motorbike from the rider by grabbing the ignition keys.

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The commotion attracted the attention of police officers based at the nearby Veterinary patrol base, who immediately responded and tried to calm the situation.

The police were, however, forced to fire two rounds in the air to disperse boda boda riders who pelted them with stones as they defended one of their own from having his bike repossessed.

The boda boda riders accused the micro-finance of “high-handedness and being out of touch with the prevailing business realities.”

Two police officers sustained injuries as they tried to calm the situation.

In March, Kenyans expressed their anger on various social media platforms after a video of a young woman being harassed by boda boda riders went viral.

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A young woman was driving a silver saloon car and was allegedly involved in an accident with one of the boda boda riders on Wangari Maathai Road (formerly Forest Road) prompting the outrage.

A one-minute video captured a crowd of boda boda riders following the silver car shouting ‘Come Out’.

In the disturbing video, the woman was seen screaming and struggling with the rowdy young men attempting to yank her out of the car. The shirt dress she was donning was torn exposing her inner-wear.

Subsequently 16 suspects were arrested and five motorcycles impounded in connection with the attack on the motorist.

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