By Abdullahi Jamaa
Residents of Wajir town on Monday called on traffic police to crack down on unlicensed teenagers operating motorcycle taxis, citing concerns over road safety and rising accidents.
Community members criticised what they described as the growing number of underage riders operating boda bodas without licences, urging authorities to take action against those violating traffic regulations.
The concerns were raised during a dialogue between community members and security agencies organised by the Women Rights Advocacy Initiative (WORAI), a non-governmental organisation, to discuss emerging security issues and factors that could drive violent extremism.
“It is worrying seeing underage children running the business of boda boda. We are worried about road safety in town,” resident Amina Mohamed told the forum.
She urged police to intervene, saying many of the teenage riders were operating without licences.
“As a community, we would like the police to take action against them, because they are teenagers and they do not have a licence,” she said.
Residents also expressed concern over the long school holiday, saying the break had contributed to an increase in the number of teenagers operating motorcycle taxis in the town.
Rukia Abdullahi Barrow, chairwoman of the Maendeleo ya Wanawake Wajir branch, said the growing number of unlicensed teenage riders had become a concern for the community.
“It has become a concern seeing the increasing number of teenagers operating boda boda without having a license. Many of them cause accidents,” she said.
The residents called on traffic police to enforce licensing requirements and address unsafe motorcycle taxi operations to protect road users.
Wajir East Deputy County Commissioner George Onyango, who presided over the dialogue, pledged to engage police over the concerns raised by residents.
“The government’s attention is alert. We have heard the problem and we will discuss with the police on how to handle the issue,” Onyango said.
The meeting also provided a platform for residents and security agencies to discuss local security challenges, including issues that could contribute to violent extremism.
Residents said stronger enforcement was needed to address the concerns surrounding unlicensed teenage riders and improve road safety in Wajir town.
