Chaos on the Highway: Boda Boda Mob Torches Mash Poa Bus in Salgaa After Fiery Crash
In a shocking escalation of road rage, furious boda boda riders in Salgaa set a Kampala-bound Mash Poa bus ablaze following a collision that left tensions boiling over.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Monday, December 22, 2025, at Salgaa along the Nakuru–Eldoret highway, leaving hundreds of motorists and passengers stranded in traffic.
The incident unfolded amid accusations of reckless driving by the bus, igniting a mob response that turned a minor accident into a blazing inferno.
Eyewitnesses described chaotic scenes as riders doused the vehicle in fuel and lit it up, halting traffic and drawing crowds.The clash highlights deepening frictions between matatu and bus operators versus the boda boda fraternity Kenya’s ubiquitous motorcycle taxi riders who dominate urban and peri-urban transport.
“One Mash Poa bus was in a rush. It sped past us while overlapping recklessly,” one witness said.
Reports indicate the accident involved the Mash Poa bus clipping several bodas, injuring riders and sparking immediate outrage. Videos circulating on social media show flames engulfing the bus, with riders chanting in protest as police struggled to intervene.
Broader Context: A Ticking Time Bomb on Kenyan Roads
This isn’t an isolated flare-up. Kenya’s roads have become battlegrounds for transport rivalries, exacerbated by lax regulation and fierce competition for passengers.
Boda bodas, numbering over 1.5 million nationwide per National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) data, often clash with larger vehicles over right-of-way and parking disputes.
Similar incidents have rocked Nairobi, Eldoret, and now Salgaa, a key transit point near the Uganda border. Mash Poa, a popular operator on the Kampala route, has faced prior complaints for speeding and overloading issues that fuel public distrust.
Yet boda riders aren’t blameless; their disregard for helmets, lanes, and traffic rules contributes to Kenya’s alarming road fatality rate of over 3,000 deaths annually, per World Health Organization figures.
Economic pressures play a role too: riders, many from low-income backgrounds, see buses as threats to their livelihoods, leading to vigilante justice.
Implications for East African Trade and Travel
The Salgaa blaze disrupts a vital corridor linking Kenya and Uganda, where cross-border buses like Mash Poa’s ferry thousands daily for trade, family visits, and tourism.
Delays could ripple into Kampala’s markets and Nairobi’s bus terminals, hiking fares and straining supply chains. Authorities have since deployed extra patrols, but without addressing root causes like dedicated boda lanes or stricter licensing expect more volatility.
Public reactions online split along lines: some decry the mob violence as “lawlessness,” while others blame “arrogant” bus drivers. NTSA has called for calm and launched an investigation, promising compensation for victims.
“This Mash Poa bus should be the last vehicle ever torched by boda boda riders. Mash Poa buses are rarely involved in road crashes despite covering long distances, and their drivers are known for courtesy and professionalism. This incident is sad and unacceptable,” the statement read, calling on the DCI and National Police Service to act.
Kenya’s transport woes demand urgent reform: better enforcement, rider training programs, and dialogue between stakeholders. Until then, highways remain powder kegs waiting for a spark.What steps do you think could prevent the next Salgaa-style showdown?
The Long Distance Drivers and Conductors Association also condemned the incident, urging police to intervene.
“Boda boda riders this morning burned a Mash Poa bus at Salgaa, just metres from Salgaa Police Station. Kwani hawa watu wamewashinda?” the association said in a statement.
Additionally, Dr. Rajesh called for the arrest of the riders involved in torching the bus.
“A Mash Poa bus was set ablaze after colliding with a boda boda rider who later died. This happened at night along the Nakuru–Mau Summit section, resulting in a massive traffic jam. While we mourn the rider, these thugs must be stopped,” he said.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has on several occasions condemned the torching of vehicles following road accidents, describing it as an emerging security threat fueled by criminal elements infiltrating the boda boda sector.
He has warned that such acts are often organized and that those involved will face prosecution.