- Kilifi’s business environment is facing mounting instability amid a wave of violence and unrest in its bodaboda (motorcycle taxi) industry.
- The largely youth-driven industry has been thrown into disarray following alarming reports of targeted attacks on operators and the theft of motorbikes, many of which were acquired through loans.
- In recent weeks, growing frustration boiled over into protests, which turned tragic when police allegedly opened fire, killing two young men.
- One suspect, identified as Kalume Diga, has since been reportedly arrested in connection with the attacks.
- Kilifi North Member of Parliament Owen Baya has also found himself under intense public scrutiny, with some locals linking him to Kalume, who previously worked for him.
- In response, Hon. Baya has strongly denied any current ties to the suspect, stating that he fired Kalume over two years ago after he threatened his staff and family.
Kilifi Bodaboda Riders’ Conflict with Creditors
A mid-September exposé sent shockwaves across the country after revealing the deepening crisis facing bodaboda operators in Kilifi and Mombasa.
The report showed how motorcycle taxi riders, many of them first-time entrepreneurs, were affected by what they described as a coordinated cycle of exploitation and loss.
According to the media report, riders who acquired motorbikes through loan agreements have been devastated after their motorcycles were mysteriously stolen, often just days before completing their final installments.
One such case is that of Dennis Omondi, who had diligently paid monthly installments of Ksh 2,854 after making an initial down payment of Ksh 33,000.
With only two payments remaining, his motorbike vanished while he was on a routine parcel delivery. His story is echoed by many others across the coastal region.
These incidents reveal a disturbing pattern. Victims report that GPS trackers installed by the financing companies inexplicably stopped working shortly before the thefts occurred.
When approached for assistance, the credit firms claimed they could not trace the bikes, yet continued to demand full repayment from their clients.
Kilifi’s Infamous Skirmishes
What began as motorbike theft has spiraled into deadly violence, with bodaboda operators reportedly being targeted and killed by suspected criminal gangs.
Frustration boiled over on October 13th, when bodaboda riders staged a protest in Kilifi town, decrying both the unrelenting debts and rising insecurity.
The demonstration turned deadly when police were deployed to disperse the charged crowds.
Two young men lost their lives, reportedly gunned down by police, after protesters allegedly torched a house believed to belong to a suspected killer.
MP Owen Baya on the Spot Over Suspected Killer’s Alleged Ties
Kilifi North Member of Parliament Owen Baya came under intense public scrutiny after it was revealed that Kalume Diga, the man suspected of orchestrating deadly attacks on bodaboda operators, was once a member of his staff.
While Hon. Baya has categorically denied any current association with the suspect, skepticism lingers among a section of Kilifi residents.
Locals on social media accuse the MP of potentially having a hand in the chaos, or at the very least, turning a blind eye to the actions of his former staffer.
In a strongly-worded statement posted on his official Facebook account, Honorable Baya set the record straight, saying, “Kalume Diga does not have any working, cordial relationship or enjoy any protection from me in whichever way, and he must be brought to book for his atrocities.”
Hon. Baya further claimed that Diga is already in police custody, a statement that has done little to ease public concern.
Some residents say they have seen no official police confirmation of the arrest and have questioned the authenticity of photos shared by the MP, suggesting they could have been staged.
The Deputy Majority Leader in the National Assembly has hinted at possible political machinations within Kilifi, asserting that his detractors’ out to destroy his name “will fall flat.”
As the Kilifi bodaboda trade grapples with mounting insecurity, all eyes remain on the unfolding investigations, both on the ground and in Parliament, where a public inquiry into the conduct of creditors has been launched.