Kenya National Entrepreneurs Savings Trust (KNEST) has advised Boda boda riders in Mombasa city to embrace a saving culture to build financial resilience, avoid economic exploitation, and secure long-term social security.
The boda boda sector is a source of income to young people as it improves the living standards of the rider and their households.
KNEST has intensified its push to get boda boda riders in Mombasa saving for retirement and has rolled out a voluntary pension scheme designed to plug the financial security gap facing workers in the informal sector.
The campaign, held alongside a free motorcycle servicing exercise, doubled as a platform for financial literacy and road safety messaging. Hundreds of motorcycle operators from across Mombasa County partiipated.
The event was organized in partnership with the Boda Boda Safety Association of Kenya (BAK), Mogo, Bajaj and Definite Assurance.
Speaking at the event, KNEST Deputy Director of Communications Lucy Kamau said the scheme was built specifically to address the reality that most informal sector workers have no employer-sponsored pension to fall back on in old age.
“KNEST has been created with the entrepreneur in mind. We understand the challenges faced by people working in the informal sector, and we have designed a flexible savings plan that suits their needs,” Kamau said.
Kamau encouraged boda boda riders to adopt the culture of saving a portion of the daily earnings to fully benefit from their work.
She explained that membership is deliberately low-cost, with contributions starting at just Sh50 a day, a figure calibrated to fit the irregular incomes typical of boda boda operators and other small traders.
Kamau added that the scheme is not entirely locked away until retirement. Members facing emergencies can dip into their savings, withdrawing up to 30 percent of what they have accumulated.
“If you happen to have an emergency, KNEST has catered for you as an entrepreneur, and you can access up to 30 percent of your savings,” she said.
According to Kamau, KNEST has now enrolled about 1.5 million members nationwide. She encouraged riders to join through the trust’s USSD platform, website or mobile application, stressing that voluntary retirement savings are becoming ever more critical given how few informal workers benefit from mandatory pension deductions.
Beyond the savings pitch, the event delivered tangible relief to riders through free motorcycle servicing.
Mombasa County Boda Boda Chairman Samuel Ogutu said about 500 motorcycles were serviced. “The exercise has brought relief to many riders at a time when operating costs continue to increase. It has enabled them to service their motorcycles without incurring additional expenses,” Ogutu said.
Mogo Area Sales Manager for Mombasa Angela Mohamed used the occasion to remind riders to observe traffic rules and wear protective gear such as helmets and reflective jackets to scale down on road accidents.
Bajaj Regional Sales Manager Maxwell Mogire said the servicing drive was meant to lower maintenance costs for operators while boosting the safety and reliability of their motorcycles.
BAK National Executive Chairman Kevin Mubadi urged riders to maintain discipline and professionalism on the job.
With the next General Election approaching, he cautioned operators against allowing themselves to be drawn into political manipulation and called on them to cooperate with security agencies by reporting suspicious activities.
He also warned against boda boda riders engaging in mob justice and retaliatory violence after road accidents.
Mubadi stressed that taking the law into one’s hands such as torching vehicles or assaulting other road users is a criminal offence and individuals will face personal liability.
“A traffic accident should be handled through the law. Once you assault someone or destroy property, it ceases to be a traffic matter and becomes a criminal offence,” Mubadi said.
By Ramadhan Nassib
