“Many people don’t know it, but disciplined boda boda people live a good life,” Vic, a boda boda rider in Kisumu, says in response to a question on how his business is doing after listing the fares he charges on various routes.
“From Kondele to Ahero, I charge Sh600; those going to Obambo pay Sh500; Kisian is Sh400; Airport we charge Sh200 while Otonglo attracts Sh300,” the rider offers, revealing how they earn per trip.
He discloses that the business pays riders well, but adds that “what matters is discipline”.
“You will pay me Sh150 for this ride, for example, thinking it is small money, but I will collect similar amounts from different people and end up with Sh3,000 in a day,” he says.
A rider cannot be spending time drinking without control and expect to make good money and live a good life, he says firmly.
“A rider should be careful whether on the highway or a village path, and you must keep time to earn the trust of someone and turn them into a regular customer,” the rider in his 30s defines his idea of discipline.
“To win the trust of the one you are carrying and turn them into a regular customer, what and how you discuss matter.”
On language use and decorum, he says “some of the fellow riders are so vulgar, you can’t discuss anything with them. That is where education comes in.”
Many times, the boda boda crew have been accused of unruliness in reported cases of mishandling customers, leading to calls for tight regulation to remove bad apples from the more than 1.2 million riders each taking home an average Sh1,000 daily, according to Car & General who sells the two-wheelers.
Those who keep time also do well because that is how to make Sh800 by as early as 9am from regular customers, says Vic.
Another rider and a former matatu conductor weighs in, saying he makes Sh1,000 by 8am daily but starts work by 5am.
“I go home every day with not less than Sh2,000. In fact, because I live in my own house that I built while in matatu business as a makanga (tout), I am abe to pay school fees with considerable ease,” says the former tour, who is below 40 years.
“Discpline of keeping time and riding carefully will see parents trust you with their children to the extent that when they don’t use your pikipiki, the children feel bad,” says Vic.
“I don’t wait for people to carry at the stage, I get phone calls all the time because these people trust me,” he adds.
Car & General says in the March 2022 study that riders make a combined Sh1 billion daily, giving them a 3.4percent contribution to the Kenya’s yearly production or GDP.
Government figures show more than 252,000 new motorcycles are registered every year, a growth of more than 100percent in the last six years when about 123,000 were listed.
“You must belong to a group and save, since boda boda business is a hand-to-mouth venture,” says Vic, who adds that one must have a plan B for “dry days” of minimal collections.
Another rider, well known as Story Man, in Kendu Bay township, concurs with Vic that discipline is the secret to thriving in boda boda business.
“When I contracted some people to use my motorcycles and asked them to pay me Sh300 only every day, I went for days without getting a single cent while excuses were the order of the day,” he says.
His earnings drought ended when he decided to recall his motor cycles, sell them and buy one to ride on his own.
“I make an average Sh800 daily. Piki piki is a good business if you’re disciplined. Most riders struggle because they are into sexual immorality, use the entire daily collections on food and drinks. That way, you will struggle.”
Sexual immorality features prominently as a common threat that kills the boda boda people and the business itself.
“A woman you carry regularly will claim she doesn’t have money to pay you until what she owes you accumulates into a huge bill. Eventually, she will trick you into sleeping with her as a way of paying the debt,” says Storyman.
Vic warns: “A boda boda man will end up sleeping with your wife. Get it from me!”
Since roses also have thorns, this small group of successful riders, warns that there are days when the earnings will only trickle “and you go home with either Sh300 or Sh500. That is the nature of the business.”
“An educated man,” Vic says he blends the boda boda venture with other businesses to survive. “Don’t go into pikipiki riding because of the good stories I am telling you. Know what you want in it.”
Cold mornings is also another thorn, and it is only discipline that will nudge a rider to leave his bed early, wear the right clothing or else you end up harming yourself, warns Vic.
Across the country, boda boda, classified as a jua kali (informal) business, employs and feeds millions of people in Kenya and has attracted many youth whose search for jobs remains unsuccessful despite holding formal qualifications up to advanced degrees, including PhD.
On the flipside, boda boda has barred many youth from pursuing higher learning or skills training but enter the ‘hustle’ in droves, without right training to ride. Due to lacklustre training, thousands of riders die due to human error although the government is trying to tighten regulations to regularise the business and curb the dangers that maim and kill.
