Nairobi, May 4 -- The global rise of taxi-hailing platform cooperatives offers a compelling lens through which to rethink user safety and security in Kenya's taxi and boda boda sectors.

While examples from Belgium, India and the United States focus on fair pay and driver empowerment, in Kenya, concerns extend further, into accountability, trust, and the safety and security of actors. Nowhere is this better illustrated than among boda boda riders. Yes, they provide affordable and flexible transport, but their informal nature makes it difficult to track riders or enforce safety standards.

A taxi drivers' cooperative ride-hailing app, built on the seven cooperative principles, allows drivers to earn income and participate in decision-makin...