Influence of boda boda (motorcycle) business and crime rate in Emuhaya Constituency of Vihiga County in Kenya
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Date
2013-10
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Abstract
Crime is a major social political, cultural and economic problem in Kenya and internationally today. Much as a lot of research has been done on its causes, it still hits both print and electronic media headlines. Emuhaya constituency is not exceptional on the same reports especially with the onset of boda boda business. The higher population has pushed the dependency ratio too high and as a result lowering the per capita income in the area. In fact the last poverty index results released by the Government showed Emuhaya being ranked amongst the poorest constituency. People live in a vicious circle of poverty and can hardly afford a simple meal per day. It is with this assumption that the boda boda business was assumed that it will cushioned the escalating rates of unemployment but the same is yet to be translated into fiscal realism. Instead the business was referred to as a breeding ground for criminal acts as well as an opportunity to harden criminals because they operate long hours and are exposed to every part of the constituency. But major criminal activities including rape, defiling minors, arson, murder, theft, assault, and kidnapping has remained a challenge. Poverty index, vis-à-vis low levels of literacy exacerbates the already desperate situation. With these challenges, the need for accurate data and definite causes of crime is essential. Dependence on political roadside statements about crime as well as media reports does not address the menace. The study therefore was initiated to establish the role motorcycle transport operators play towards crime rates in Emuhaya Constituency. It has focused on major activities of this business and how they are co-functional with crime rate in Emuhaya Constituency, also analyzing the effectiveness of the existing interventions on crime control. The basic theoretical orientation was provided by the social control theory that was formulated by E. A. Ross which focuses on the control mechanism, techniques, and strategies for regulating human behavior, leading to conformity or obedience to society’s rule. These include the influence of families and schools, religious beliefs, moral values, peers and even perceptions about Government policies. When social controls and government policies are weakened or broken, individual citizen are not motivated to conform to the rule of law. The use of clustered population and simple random sampling plus purposive snowball samplings were used to arrive at the 150 respondents. This is a representation of their respective populace. The four categories of respondents focused on the perceived leaders who are in direct touch with the affairs of the boda boda group.Basing on these findings, increased crime rate in Emuhaya can not only be blamed on this business alone but more information is essential to urgently address the problem. Beside the development about human rights as well as the welfare of the security officers more research should be conducted on how to address crime and then develop the motorcycle transport industry into a viable enterprise with the potential of transforming the local transport into a profitable venture. It was also necessary that the government sets up structures that offer Kenyans true security so as to effectively utilized the resources they endow for the prosperity of the constituency
Description
A Thesis report presented to the College Higher degrees and Research Kampala International university In Partial fulfillment of the Requirements for the degree Master of Conflict Resolution and Peace Building
Keywords
Doda boda (motorcycle) business, Crime rate