President William Ruto has launched electric motorcycles as part of the transition to electric mobility he promised Kenyans during the Madaraka Day celebrations three months ago.
Launching the electric motorcycles at Mama Ngina Water Front in Mombasa, President Ruto described it as a fulfilled promise to provide cheaper motorcycles, job opportunities for the youth and make Kenya a green country.
Dr Ruto said his commitment to making Kenya a champion in reducing the carbon footprint inspired the move to embark on the e-mobility journey.
“We are about to have the African Climate Change Summit where we will be making policies to combat climate change. For us to achieve low carbon emissions, we need efficient technologies in the transport industry and we need to move towards electric mobility,” said President Ruto.
The President argued that the motorcycle industry, which is part of the last mile transport system, must be one of the first sectors to be affected by the transition.
The electric Bodaboda launched by the President will retail at Sh160,000 if bought in cash, an amount he said had been reduced from Sh300,000 due to the reduction of tax on materials and parts used in the assembly of electric motor vehicles.
“Some of you were against the Finance Bill that reduced the tax on manufacturers and hence the reduction in the price of this Bodaboda. In six months, I want Spiro, our partners in the project, to start assembling the motorcycles in Kenya. And in 12 months, they should be manufacturing them here,” he said.
The president said he had allowed the company to import the initial batch of 10,000 as part of the first phase of the transition to e-mobility.
The president said he would ban the import of electric motorcycles into the country once the e-mobility system is efficient.
Bodaboda riders in the country will now be charged less than 10% interest when they purchase the electric motorcycles on hire purchase for a total of Sh190,000.
Sh 236 is automatically deducted from the Mpesa accounts of riders who manage to get the bike on hire purchase, while a battery replacement at the available replacement points costs Sh220.
“For around Sh 500 my bodaboda people you are able to get a good day of efficiency with you travelling for about 70 km. This is better than the motorcycles that are run using petroleum,” said Dr Ruto.
CS Transport Kipchumba Murkomen, who attended the launch, said the motorcycles should also curb indiscipline and improve safety on the roads as the motorcycles have speed limits.
“We have lost over 5000 people in accidents and 3000 of them are related to the bodaboda. This e-bodaboda cannot exceed 60 kilometres per hour. This is to tame reckless drivers and save lives,” said Mr Murkomen.
According to him, the motorcycles cannot be stolen because they can be monitored from a remote location and can be switched off remotely if stolen.
The project involves Safaricom, Spiro, Kenya Commercial Bank and many other partners.
Mombasa Governor Abdulswammad Nassir, who was also in attendance, pledged to purchase at least 12 for the Sacco in his six constituencies to help bodaboda riders in the county.
