Boda boda operators in Embu Town on Thursday staged a protest to demand answers over the alleged mismanagement of Ksh.10 million by the Embu County Government.
The riders said the money was wrongly linked to them after Governor Cecily Mbarire told the County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC) that the funds were used to facilitate a boda boda summit.
The protest followed the Governor’s appearance before the committee chaired by Homa Bay Senator Moses Kajwang’, where she explained how the disputed funds were spent.
However, the riders strongly rejected her statement and said they were never involved in any such summit.
They also insisted that they did not benefit in any way from the money in question.
Carrying placards and chanting slogans, the operators said they felt unfairly dragged into a matter they knew nothing about. They maintained that any meetings or activities involving boda boda riders in Embu are usually organized and funded through their own contributions.
According to them, no public money has ever been used to support their gatherings or welfare programs.Some of the protesters expressed anger and frustration, accusing the Governor of trying to shift blame by connecting them to the missing funds.
They warned leaders against using boda boda operators as scapegoats in cases involving public finance.
One rider said they were shocked to hear their name mentioned in the matter when they had not attended any summit or received any support from the county government.
“We raised our own money. We cannot be dragged into issues we know nothing about,” one protester said.
“The Governor should take responsibility and not involve boda boda riders in matters of public finance.”
The riders also criticized Embu Senator Alexander Mundigi and members of the Embu County Assembly, saying they had failed in their oversight role.
They accused them of not doing enough to protect public resources and to ensure that taxpayers’ money is used properly.
According to the operators, leaders should be transparent and clear when explaining how public funds are spent.In a strong warning to the county leadership, the protesters issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Governor Mbarire.
They demanded that she publicly clear boda boda operators of any wrongdoing and stop linking them to the disputed Ksh.10 million.
They said their name and reputation had been damaged by the claims and needed to be corrected immediately.
They also demanded that the Governor reveal details of the alleged boda boda SACCO that was mentioned in connection with the funds.
The riders questioned its existence and said most operators in Embu Town had never heard of such a SACCO.
They asked the county government to explain where it is located, who runs it, and how it operates.
According to the protesters, failure to address their concerns within the given time would force them to take further action. They warned that more demonstrations could follow if their demands were ignored.
The riders said they would not rest until the truth about the funds is made public and their name is cleared.The demonstration briefly disrupted activities in parts of Embu Town as security officers monitored the situation to prevent chaos.
Despite the tension, the protest remained largely peaceful, with riders calling for dialogue and accountability rather than violence.
By the time of publication, the Embu County Government had not issued an official response to the riders’ demands. The operators said they would wait for the 48-hour deadline to lapse before deciding their next steps.
They insisted that their protest was not political but aimed at defending their image and demanding transparency in the use of public money.
