A disturbing pattern of vigilante justice is emerging on Kenyan roads, as enraged boda boda riders resort to setting vehicles ablaze in retaliation for accidents involving their colleagues, leaving a trail of destruction and raising alarms over mob violence.
The latest incident unfolded dramatically on the Thika Superhighway on Thursday, September 26, 2025. A white Audi SUV, involved in a fatal accident near Northlands, was reduced to a charred shell after a gang of boda boda riders surrounded it and set it on fire. The death of a rider in the collision allegedly triggered the violent reaction.
An image obtained by Kenyans.co.ke captured the intensity of the moment, with flames and thick black smoke billowing from the luxury vehicle. The Audi’s owner stood helplessly by, watching his car burn to the ground. Although firefighters from Ruiru rushed to the scene, their efforts were in vain; the vehicle was already completely destroyed.
This fiery protest caused significant panic and briefly brought traffic on the busy superhighway to a standstill.
The incident near Thika is not isolated. Just weeks earlier, on September 7, a similar scene played out in Thika’s Makongeni area. Following a road accident near the local police station, an angry mob descended upon a private Audi A3 hatchback, reportedly owned by a DCI officer, and set it alight.
The vehicle was alleged to have knocked down a rider and his passenger, injuring both. The sight of the burning car sent shockwaves through the community.
The wave of retaliatory violence extends beyond the central region. Days before the Thika Makongeni incident, boda boda operators in Vihiga County took similar action. After a PSV van driver allegedly ran over a rider in Luanda along the Kisumu-Busia highway, outraged riders torched the van.
This act of destruction mirrored a separate fatal accident that occurred near Luanda market, where a 14-seater matatu lost control, struck a rider, and killed him on the spot.
These consecutive events highlight a dangerous trend where grief and anger are manifesting as destructive mob justice, bypassing legal channels.
The incidents have sparked concerns about the safety of motorists and the escalating tensions between different road user groups. As communities grapple with these tragedies, the calls for calm and adherence to the rule of law grow more urgent, lest more property—and potentially lives—are lost to the flames of rage.
