Boda boda riders in Limuru Central ward have rewarded one of their own by campaigning for him until he was elected MCA.

Joseph Kahenya, 28, was so overwhelmed by the elevation, he gave away his motorcycle free of charge to Chege Karanja, alias Segi, who used to borrow it for boda boda business.

Kahenya is among the young MCAs who ended up in the informal sector, despite taking professional courses.

“I decided to give my motorcycle to a rider who didn’t have a motorcycle of his own. He used to come to our stage to earn a living. Once you get a customer, he rides them and brings you the fare, and you give him a tip,” he said.

Kahenya was at Kabete Polytechnic, where he did a diploma course in mechanical engineering, specialising in automotive, and was later employed by Simba Colt Motors.

However, he resigned after five months since the salary could not sustain him in Nairobi, and came back to his rural home, where he was employed at a garage in Limuru town.

It was then that he bought a motorcycle to be going to work with.

Kahenya is married to Hannah Mwihaki, and they are blessed with a daughter, Kelsea Wanja.

He reveals he left garage since he started making more money using the boda boda than at the garage.

His colleagues supported the idea, and they elected him to lead the Kwambira Boda Boda Sacco.

Kahenya said that marked the beginning of his political career.

The riders formed a committee that used to meet on Sundays, and residents would visit and give him money, with others pledging funds.

Moreover, riders went door to door looking for campaign funds, and one day, they collected Sh28,000, which helped him to register with the Jubilee Party.

The soft-spoken Kahenya beat the incumbent MCA Njenga Murugami and other contenders, including Samuel Mwangi, businessman Boniface Gacheru, Shujaa Karanja and David Kimani, in the JP primaries.

GEORGE MUGO/The Star