Paper short abstract:

In Kenya, motorcycle taxis (boda boda) provide informal transport for many. For a long time, the sector was in operation without recognition as a public transport provider by the state. It was therefore not planned for nor governed formally by legislation leading to instability and precarity.

Paper long abstract:

Motorcycles taxis (boda boda) offer an innovative alternative transport for many people in Africa. Since the start of its operation in Kenya, the boda boda motorcycles have touched every aspect of life of most people regardless of social status, occupation, area of residence among others. Motorcycles are providing transport where formal transport failed. It is also a form of employment for many. For a long time, the boda boda sector was in operation but was not recognized as a public transport provider by the government. This meant that by law, the boda boda was not legitimately considered as public means of transport in Kenya. The state ‘refused’ to acknowledge the presence and impact of boda boda motorcycles in the day to day lives of the people. The sector was not planned for nor governed formally through legislation. This paper argues that, because the government of Kenya took a long time to recognize this mode of transport, they did not prepare for it in legislation as well as plan for its infrastructure. While this mode meets most of the citizens mobility and access needs, there are a number of challenges associated with it including motorcycle related crashes and insecurity among others. The paper seeks to find out whether lack of recognition of this informal mode of transport led to precarity.