Ruiru was thrown into chaos when a group of furious boda boda riders stormed Jijenge Credit Limited, a loan company accused of exploiting and deceiving them for years. The riders, who had faithfully paid loans for motorcycles they used to earn their daily bread, said they had been robbed of their hard work through a web of deceit that left them angry and desperate for justice. The confrontation turned dramatic as the riders forced their way into the company’s premises in Kihunguro, pulling out bikes they claimed were theirs.
The motorcycles, they said, had been stolen under mysterious circumstances, only to resurface in Jijenge’s yard for resale. Shouts filled the air, tempers flared, and the crowd’s rage made it clear that this was not a mere misunderstanding but a fight for dignity and survival.
Jijenge Credit Limited, which also operates under the name Jijenge Uwezo Limited, has long marketed itself as a friendly lender helping small traders and individuals access affordable loans.
Behind that image, however, riders allege a dangerous network of fraud that targets the very people the company claims to support.
According to multiple victims, the scheme involves hired thieves pretending to be passengers. They strike up conversations, build trust, and at some point offer food or drinks laced with sedatives.
Once the rider loses consciousness, the thieves vanish with the motorcycle. The bike, often financed through Jijenge, somehow ends up back at the company’s lot trackers removed or deactivated waiting to be resold to another unsuspecting customer. It’s a cruel circle of theft and deceit that has stripped hardworking Kenyans of their livelihoods.
Among the victims is Samuel Oyaro, a soft-spoken man whose voice trembled with fury as he recounted his ordeal. He said he was drugged by a supposed passenger and woke up dazed and half-naked, his motorcycle gone. When he finally tracked it down, he was stunned to see it parked openly at Jijenge Credit’s yard, bearing the same unique markings he had made himself.
“They pretend to help you, but they are the ones destroying you,” he said bitterly. Oyaro’s story mirrors those of hundreds of others from areas like Zimmerman, Kahawa West, and Githurai riders who have lost their bikes even after completing or nearly completing their loan payments. They believe the company uses theft to recycle financed motorcycles for more profit.
Police led by Ruiru Sub-County Commander Maina Kibuathi rushed to the scene before the situation spiraled out of control.
The commander assured the riders that justice would be pursued and ordered all motorcycles at the company impounded for verification at Ruiru Police Station.
He told the riders to present ownership documents to reclaim their property, signaling the start of what could be a major investigation into a company accused of preying on the poor. His presence helped calm the chaos, but it also raised serious questions about how a licensed lender could allegedly engage in criminal activity for so long without scrutiny from authorities.
This scandal is not an isolated case. Similar patterns have been reported in other parts of the country, where loan companies repossess or resell motorcycles under suspicious conditions even after borrowers finish payments. In places like Kilifi and Kisumu, riders have spoken out about rising debts for bikes stolen under unclear circumstances, yet they remain legally bound to repay the loans. It’s a growing cancer within Kenya’s informal economy, one that targets the very people who power it.
For many riders, Jijenge Credit represents everything wrong with the system a company that presents itself as a lifeline while allegedly running a racket that ruins lives.
Calls are now growing for regulators to step in and revoke its license, with many demanding a full audit of its operations. The boda boda community is tired of being used, silenced, and left to suffer while white-collar thieves hide behind business registration certificates.
