Homa Bay: Residents losing sleep over rising cases of boda-boda accidents

The boda-boda industry in Homa Bay County is under sharp scrutiny following rising cases of accidents.

Riders have been accused of speeding, failing to wear helmets, and carrying more than one passenger, which often lead to accidents and loss of life.

According to residents, a majority of the riders have not undergone proper training.

Some of the dangerous routes include the Oyugis – Kendu Bay Road and Homa Bay – Rongo Highway, where boda-boda riders are often seen racing against time, competing for passengers.

According to Laban Otieno, a resident of Homa Bay town, most fatal crashes are as a result of speed.

“Many of these accidents could be avoided if riders respected speed limits. Unfortunately, in the rush to make money, safety is often ignored,” says Otieno.

Despite the law requiring both riders and passengers to wear helmets and reflective jackets, compliance in Homa Bay remains poor.

A walk through Homa Bay Town or trading centres such as Oyugis and Kendu Bay shows countless passengers riding without helmets.

Local boda-boda association chair Vincent Oduor admits that while helmets are provided to some riders, enforcement is weak.

“Passengers complain that helmets are dirty or uncomfortable. Riders also avoid them to cut costs. But in the end, it is lives we are risking,” he explains.

Hospitals across the Country continue to report cases of head injuries, many of which doctors say could have been prevented with helmets.

Another major concern is that many riders have not gone through accredited driving schools. Instead, most learn informally from friends or relatives before joining the trade.

NTSA officials in Homa Bay have raised an alarm that this lack of formal training contributes to poor road etiquette, wrong overtaking, and disregard for traffic lights.

“Without proper training, riders cannot appreciate the dangers of speeding, overloading, or ignoring signs. That’s why we keep seeing preventable crashes,” said an NTSA field officer during a recent sensitisation campaign.

At the Homa Bay County Teaching and Referral Hospital, medical staff say boda boda accidents account for a significant share of emergency cases. Victims arrive with broken limbs, head injuries, and in severe cases, life-threatening trauma.

Community leaders, police, and boda boda associations are now calling for strict enforcement of helmet and reflective jacket laws, mandatory training and licensing for all operators, public awareness campaigns targeting both riders and passengers, and speed controls on highways and accident-prone stretches.

Governor Gladys Wanga’s administration has already disbursed funds to boda boda Saccos for economic empowerment, but many are urging her office to also invest in safety campaigns.

For residents, boda-bodas remain the most convenient way to travel. Fast, cheap, and accessible even on rough rural roads. Yet, without stronger safety measures, the same convenience continues to cost lives.

As one resident in Oyugis put it: “We depend on boda-bodas every day, but every time you board one, you have to say a silent prayer, because many have perished”

According to the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), the danger posed by boda bodas has reached alarming levels. Between January and March 2025, at least 431 people died in motorcycle-related incidents.

An average of five fatalities per day, which exceeded the death toll from motor vehicle accidents in the same period.

Over the full year of 2024, more than 1,200 boda boda riders were killed, compared to about 900 in 2023, contributing to a total of 4,748 road fatalities, roughly 13 per day.