Meru boda boda riders get safety training
What you need to know:
- Programme supported by NMG and county government.
- Governor sets aside Sh20 million for medical covers for the riders.
More than 400 boda boda riders in Meru have benefited from a safety awareness programme supported by QTV.
The riders participated in a competition on safety and security initiated by the Meru government and other stakeholders which was flagged off by governor Peter Munya.
Nickson Kirwa, Nation Media Group's TV brand manager, said QTV had provided 300 high-visibility jackets.
"It is unfortunate that many people are losing their lives to accidents involving boda bodas. QTV will continue taking part in such programmes to improve the visibility of riders for their safety," he said.
Speaking when he flagged off the campaign, Mr Munya said the county had set aside Sh20 million to offer free medical insurance to boda boda riders through the National Health Insurance Fund, noting that some were unable to pay NHIF rates.
The operators will, however, be required to have certificates of good conduct from the police to show they have not been involved in criminal activities.
Mr Munya said the riders would be trained on road safety.
GIVEN SKILLS
Accidents involving boda bodas have been on the rise, with the Meru Teaching and Referral Hospital receiving an average of three cases daily. Medics say the number can rise to as high as six accidents per day involving riders and their passengers.
In addition, the governor said boda boda riders would be trained on entrepreneurship and financial management in order to give them the skills to grow their businesses.
Centum Solutions officer Florence Nduta said out of the more than 30,000 boda boda riders in the county, only 8,000 of them are registered.
"We decided to organise the programme to sensitise the riders on not just safety but also on how to grow their businesses. About 17 to 20 riders are killed every month in Meru. If the industry is taken seriously, we can improve livelihoods," she said.
Centum Solutions, Ms Nduta added, is working with banks, insurance companies and other institutions to enable the riders benefit from their businesses.
She said the organisation is targeting more than 400,000 riders countrywide with safety and investment education programmes.
