Tension gripped Thika Makongeni estate on Sunday morning after enraged boda boda riders set a private vehicle ablaze in the aftermath of a road accident near the local police station.

The collision, involving an Audi, which occurred on September 7, tragically claimed the lives of a motorcyclist and their passenger.

The incident triggered immediate outrage among fellow riders, who stormed the scene in protest.

Dramatic images and videos from the site showed the luxury vehicle engulfed in flames, thick black smoke rising as onlookers gathered in shock.

This incident adds to growing concerns over a troubling trend: spontaneous mob justice targeting vehicles involved in road accidents.

This comes less than 24 hours after a similar protest in Vihiga County, where boda boda riders torched a PSV van on Saturday.

Boda Boda Association Condemns Violence

The Boda Boda Safety Association of Kenya (BAK) had early issued a condemnation of recent violent incidents involving motorcycle taxi operators.

In a statement released September 7, BAK said it was “deeply concerned” by reports of vehicles being attacked and set ablaze after traffic accidents, incidents allegedly involving individuals posing as boda boda operators.

“These acts of violence do not represent the values, principles, or conduct of genuine boda boda operators,” said Kevin B. Mubadi, national executive chairman and president of BAK. “We are committed to peace, safety, and lawful conduct.”

The association, which represents commercial motorcycle riders across all 47 counties in Kenya, said criminal-minded individuals, many of whom are not registered riders, have infiltrated the sector and contributed to lawlessness on the roads.

“The boda boda industry remains a pillar of Kenya’s transport system and a source of livelihood for thousands of families,” Mubadi said. “We will not allow a few misguided individuals to soil the reputation of our sector.”

The association called on all riders to uphold discipline and continue being responsible players in the country’s transport industry.

Crackdown on Boda Boda Gangs

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen speaking during a security baraza at Jukwaa la Usalama in Vihiga noted that the boda boda gangs, groups of rogue motorcyclists who have increasingly been involved in traffic disruptions, funeral invasions, and robberies, pose a growing security threat.

“These groups will be among our main targets in the coming crackdown,” he said. “We will not allow this culture to entrench itself and evolve into more organized criminal networks.”

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Murkomen directed county and national government administration officers to step up community sensitization forums (barazas) to combat harmful perceptions around drug use and to promote public awareness.

“Drug and substance abuse fuels defilement, murder, gender-based violence, and social breakdown,” he added. “We must address the root causes.”

The crackdown is part of a nationwide strategy by the Ministry of Interior to restore order and fight rising crime linked to drug and gang activity across Kenya.