The transport sector is one of the departments that has absorbed a majority of young people through the creation of job opportunities for many all over the country.
A good number of youth in the informal settlements are putting food on the table through commercial motorcycles and from recent observations, by having tuktuks.
According to Lindi Tuktuk Management Sacco officials, over 300 youth have been employed by more than 100 tuktuks which ferry people. Joshua Buwiti Ingira alias Noah is a tuktuk operator in Makina.
He started his venture in the bodaboda sector three years ago. He decision to own a tuktuk was influenced by the amount of money tuktuk operators made alongside the ease in becoming one of the operators.
Motorcycles and tuktuks are a popular mode of transport used by small business men and women to move their commodities such cereals from Toi Market to their business premises.
“As tuktuk operator, we charge Ksh20 per person from Makina to Lindi route. It’s Ksh20 regardless of whether you boarded in the stage or along the way,” he explained.
Currently they’re facing stiff competition among themselves because there are many tuktuks plying the route compared to the numbers of customers who are accessing the mode of transport on daily basis.
A standard tuktuk is a six seater and is estimated to make more than Ksh120 in one trip when it ferries passengers from Makina stage to Lindi.
Buwit who is aspiring to contest for tuktuk chairmanship position revealed on a good day when customers are many, a tuktuk driver take more than Ksh1,500 home after paying off daily expenses of Ksh2, 000. On a bad day when customers are few, the tuktuk driver make about Ksh800 or Ksh100.
“Our daily expenses comprise Ksh 400 for the Sacco, parking fee of Ksh50 and Ksh1500 for the tuktuk owner if it’s hired,” the business man explained.
Noah admitted they are facing a couple of challenges as stakeholders in the bodaboda sector such as disturbing passengers, language barriers and reckless matatu drivers among other challenges being encountered by operators.
Buwit discouraged the residents from buying tuktuks to curb the rate of competitions among bodaboda operators.
