BODA BODA MOTORCYCLE TRANSPORT INFLUENCE ON SOCIOECONOMIC EMPOWEREMENT OF YOUTHS AND THEIR HOUSEHOLDS IN TURKANA COUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

Motorcycle business known as “Boda-boda” eased transportation problem of connecting urban and rural areas in Kenya. It is booming business as it is readily available in urban and rural areas and people always transport goods to and fro and uses paths instead of roads given that feeder roads in Kenya are impassible during rainy seasons. Globally, for example in Vietnam motorbikes use is extremely high due to lack of public transport and low income levels that put automobiles out of reach for many peoples use. In Africa especially in Nigeria by 1980s the transportation sector of economy was greatly affected by SAPs and led to the drop in the supply of transport services and mobility and as a consequence led to emergence of motorcycle (okada) and tricycle transport. In Kenya, studies have been done such as assessment of the impact of training boda boda operators and safety status in Kakamega County, revealed that majority of the boda boda riders received informal training through apprenticeship and a few attend training schools, a reason for frequent occurrence of accidents, as no extensive training is given to riders. In Turkana County, mostly there are a few training Centres to offer refresher courses to boda boda motorcycle riders on how to comply with rules of Highway Code of driving. As a result most of the boda boda motorcycle riders and their passengers quite often get involved in fatal accidents. Most of the boda boda motorcycle riders are youths aged between 18 to 35 years old and are the prime sources of family income. Their customers/ passengers are also those who have some source of income and therefore, have to go out to fend for families. When accidents occur, affect both boda boda motorcycle riders and passengers. It’s on this background that this study intends to unearth how the boda boda motorcycle industry has affected the socio-economic development of youths and families engaged in the business as an extension to their families. The objective of the study are: to examine how government policy on the motor cycle transport industry has affected the development of youths in Turkana County; to evaluate how boda boda motorcycle have affected the socio-economic development of motor cycle riders and their families in Turkana County; to assess the measures the government can take to enhance sustained socio-economic empowerment of youths involved in boda boda motorcycle industry in Turkana County and to analyze the effects of boda boda motor cycle accidents on socioeconomic development of youths riders and their households in Turkana County. There are a number of theories which explain the phenomena understudy and the research will apply the following two theories including, empowerment theory and problem-solving theory. These theories will relate to conceptual framework where the independent variable is the boda boda transport business and dependent variable is youth livelihoods and their households and will be moderated by government policy on boda boda transport industry in Kenya. Descriptive survey research design will be used and will be collected by three main research instruments structured questionnaires, direct observation and interview schedules. The research will target a population of 1006 from the five target groups including motorcycle riders, Heads of households, Police officials, Court officials and Loan organizations. Therefore, random sampling technique will be employed to select motorcycle riders, the households’ heads of the motorcycle accidents victims selected by snowballing in the stages and police officials and Loan organizations will be purposively sampled. Data will be analyzed using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 21.Data will be presented inform of tables, percentages and graphs. Expected findings of the study will provide needed information for socio-economic empowerment of youths and their households in Turkana County and applied in other counties with similar problem in Kenya.