We did not suspend driver in viral assault video, Bolt Kenya says

Ride-Hailing app Bolt Kenya has dismissed claims that it suspended the driver whose video of him being assaulted by three female riders went viral on social media last week. 

Reports indicated that Bolt had gone ahead and suspended the driver’s account in the wake of the incident, a move that generated a heated debate online, claims the company is now dismissing. 

In a statement seen by TechTrendsKE, Bolt says the driver lost temporary access to his account due to repetitive low activity score. 

‘’In this case, the driver lost temporary access to his account due to repetitive Low activity score. The start date (10. Sept), end date (17. Sept) and detailed context was displayed in the said driver’s app along with useful retraining content,’’ the statement says. 

‘’At Bolt, we provide a fair marketplace where drivers enjoy choice and access strong economic opportunities while providing safe and affordable rides experiences to passengers. Every driver operating on the platform is a valued partner and we are committed to their overall welfare, ‘’ the statement further reads. 

Bolt says this is not the first time some of its drivers are losing temporary access to their account. The company says it has set and communicates various service-level thresholds for drivers and riders. Breaching these guidelines Bolt says could result in temporary loss of access to a driver or rider account. These instances include any incident that requires investigation or cooperation with a competent State authority., Irregular and/or financially fraudulent account activity, invalid or expired driver and/or car profile documents, and low activity score or ratings for driver or riders.

‘’We truly believe that happy drivers provide quality and reliable services for riders. Therefore, we are fully committed to continue treating drivers on our platform courteously and consultatively.’’

In the video, three riders are seen hurling insults at the Bolt driver Kelvin Kitonga and even going ahead to stone his car. The incident is said to have happened on September 10th. 

Follow us on Telegram, Twitter, Facebook, or subscribe to our weekly newsletter to ensure you don’t miss out on any future updates. Send tips to info@techtrendske.co.ke