Boda boda riders in Ruiru town gathered at the Ruiru stadium for a prayer and thanksgiving event to celebrate the lives of fallen boda boda riders in the county and show support to the families left behind.

Chairperson of the Bodaboda association of Kiambu Lawrence Kariuki said that the event was conceived as a way to thank the riders for their service and to remember the ones who lost their lives during the course of the year.

‘We have had a number of deaths reported this year and it is unfortunately a part of what happens when you are in this line of work but we continue to work and support the riders and their families through these tough times,’ he said

Kariuki said that they also put an emphasis on community participation during the ceremony by riding through the streets of Ruiru as a unit, as this is a spectacle used to draw the public’s eye to the event and the issues of the riders.

‘We want people to also participate as it is a community event, it is important to join together and celebrate as we
are one community looking to support one another,’ he added

He also stated that one of the main goals of the event is to support the families through buying household goods in bulk for the families of the riders who pass away. The association has a digital registry that makes it easy to identify riders who have lost their lives.

Kariuki observed that most of the boda riders in Ruiru are young men with very young families which corresponds to the national data with 97.4% of riders being male and 68.2% representing ages 18-33 years old.

‘As an association we make sure that our fallen riders’ families are taken care of. We buy flour, sugar and other common household amenities to keep them going for as long as they can as well as providing social support. We understand that having a loss in such circumstances leads to dire situations for the widows and their children,’ he said

Daniel Mumbi is a local rider who participated in the event and expressed his excitement as this was his first thanksgiving event as a
boda rider since joining the field one year ago. Mumbi is only 25 years old and has a young child and a wife and understands the importance of having such events, even as a reminder to the riders as safety is very key in their line of work.

‘This is an important event to me and my family, coming together to support one another as well as praying for us and thanking God for where he has taken us riders during the whole year. I hope to continue being a rider to keep saving money so I can build a house for my family and I,’ he said.

The Kiambu Riders Association continues to be a leader in community promotion from health advocates and beacons for change in the county.

Source: Kenya News Agency