NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 29- The Government has announced plans to embark on a national training programme for Boda Boda riders as part of measures to empower them.
The training will be undertaken by the National Youth Service at a cost of Sh750 per rider.
ICT Cabinet Secretary Joe Mucheru on Thursday said the programme is aimed at enhancing compliance with the traffic rules, road courtesy and impart them with basic first aid skills.
“The process is not an event,” he said of the program that will run for several months.
He was speaking after during a meeting with leaders from the Boda Boda sector- which employs more than a million Kenyans, mostly the youth.
“By and large, one of the big quetion from Boda Boda riders is in regard to training and licensing,” Mucheru said.
Last week, President Uhuru Kenyatta launched the Boda Boda Association of Kenya investment scheme, which will enhance their saving skills.
The scheme by Nabo Capital, a subsidiary of Centum Investment Company Plc, will provide up to 1.4 million boda boda riders with a tech-enabled savings and investment platform.
The president said the platform will enable the boda boda riders build “a nest egg by saving Sh50 per day.”
The scheme is aimed at giving an opportunity to the operators to save and invest for their future by making a daily contribution of Sh50. Members of the scheme will benefit from discounted rates from various service providers.
For instance, the riders will enjoy a Sh 3 and Shs 10 discount on a litre of super petrol and a kilogram of cooking gas respectively from Rubis Energy which has a network of 310 petrol stations spread across the country.
Nabo Capital will manage the funds in the Collective Investment Scheme (CIS) for the boda boda riders, under the strict regulations of the Capital Markets Authority (CMA).
The scheme will begin by enrolling 100 riders from each of the 47 counties, gradually building up to cover the 1.4 million boda boda riders countrywide.
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