The Thika Superhighway, one of Kenya’s busiest road networks, turned into a theatre of chaos on Saturday night after boda boda riders torched a Land Rover truck following an accident involving one of their own.
The dramatic incident, which occurred near the National Youth Service (NYS), brought traffic to a grinding halt for hours as curious onlookers gathered to witness the fiery standoff.
According to eyewitnesses, the altercation began when the Land Rover collided with a boda boda rider, sparking outrage among fellow operators who quickly mobilized at the scene.
Within minutes, tempers flared, and the enraged group set the vehicle ablaze, baying for the blood of the driver. Though images captured the vehicle engulfed in flames, details on whether there were casualties remain unclear at the time of reporting.
The brazen act of vigilante justice has reignited debate over the growing power and restlessness of boda boda operators, who in recent years have developed a reputation for taking the law into their own hands. Their swift mobilisation often overwhelms both drivers and authorities, leaving destruction in their wake.
This is not an isolated incident. Just days earlier, another group of boda boda riders torched a City Shuttle bus along Jogoo Road. That attack was sparked by the alleged killing of a rider in a fatal collision with the bus. The bus, reduced to a burnt-out shell, highlighted the combustible relationship between public service vehicles, motorists, and boda boda operators on Kenya’s roads.
Authorities and analysts warn that such acts of mob justice not only cause loss of property but also undermine the rule of law.
Questions have also been raised about the slow response by the fire department and law enforcement, which many witnesses believe worsened the situation.
As investigations continue, the incident on Thika Superhighway underscores the urgent need for stricter enforcement of traffic regulations, improved conflict resolution on the roads, and a long-overdue conversation on boda boda governance. Without intervention, the rising wave of roadside justice threatens to turn Kenya’s roads into flashpoints of violence rather than safe corridors of mobility.
