The Lamu County government has hatched a plan to eliminate crooks and criminals posing as boda boda operators within the Lamu Old Town.
All boda boda operators within Lamu Town, a tourist hub and a Unesco world heritage site, will now be vetted and approved before they continue with their operations.
Speaking to Shipping on Tuesday, Tourism, Trade and Industrialisation Chief Officer Atwa Salim said that all boda boda operators in the old town will be required to produce a mandatory certificate of good conduct from the police before they can be allowed to conduct business.
Mr Salim said the move will also help achieve the required planning for the old town while at the same time curbing criminal activities.
The Lamu Old Town was listed by Unesco in 2001 as a world heritage site. The town is also the biggest tourist attraction in the region.
Mr Salim said there is need to weed out any criminal elements hiding among the boda boda operators to protect the image of the town and maintain its reputation as a global tourist destination.
The chief officer said the boda boda operators will also be required to adhere to a mandatory speed limit that will be passed by the tourism and trade office and released to the public in the next few days.
Due to the narrow alleyways in the old town only movement by foot and donkeys is allowed.
Currently, there is also an active automobile ban forbidding vehicles and motorcycles from operation in the old town centre.
The ban was introduced in August, 2018 by the County Government of Lamu. The move has seen boda boda operators strictly carry out their business only on the outskirts of Lamu Town and Shella.
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