Tension gripped Ruiru on Wednesday after a group of boda boda riders from Zimmerman stormed a company in Kihunguro, accusing it of stealing motorbikes that had been issued to them on loan.
The riders claimed the firm had been operating under the guise of a motorbike financing company but was allegedly repossessing the same bikes through deceitful means. According to the riders, the company would send individuals posing as customers to hire their bikes, only for them to disappear with the motorbikes later found within the firm’s premise.
Chaos broke out when one rider spotted his stolen bike parked inside the company compound. Word spread quickly, drawing dozens of fellow operators to the scene demanding the immediate release of their motorbikes.
Police officers from Ruiru Police Station, led by Sub-County Police Commander Maina Kibathi, were forced to intervene to restore order. The officers seized all the recovered bikes and took them to the station for verification and further investigation.
Speaking to the press, Commander Kibathi confirmed that police had launched formal investigations into the incident to establish the ownership of the recovered motorcycles and to verify the company’s operations.
“We have taken all the bikes for proper verification. Any rider whose motorbike may have been stolen is advised to bring their ownership documents to the station to help identify their property,” said Kibathi.
The incident has brought to light growing mistrust between boda boda riders and some motorbike financing companies accused of exploiting young riders through questionable loan schemes.
Many riders now want authorities to conduct a wider crackdown on such firms, saying the industry has become a trap for unsuspecting youths desperate to earn a living.
