Mogo Launches SAKA, Kenya’s First Digital Database to Combat Vehicle Theft

East Africa’s leading asset financier, Mogo, has unveiled SAKA, the country’s first digital public database for stolen vehicles and motorbikes, aiming to stem the tide of theft and fraud in Kenya’s transport sector.

The platform, whose name is derived from the Swahili word saka meaning to search, allows users to report and verify stolen assets in real time. Designed to be fast, accessible, and user-friendly, SAKA is a significant response to the rising rates of vehicle theft, which remain a major financial and security concern.

“SAKA is more than a tool it’s a movement to empower citizens and protect livelihoods,” said Branton Mutea, Deputy Country Manager at Mogo Kenya. “It enables Kenyans to seek the truth before buying, selling, or using any motor vehicle or motorbike.”

According to the 2025 Kenya National Economic Survey, over 7,000 cases of vehicle theft have been reported in the last five years, with fewer than 40 convictions secured a glaring gap in enforcement. Meanwhile, losses in the boda boda and matatu sectors, which employ over three million Kenyans, exceed KES 3 billion annually due to theft and fraud.

Motor vehicle theft often occurs through carjacking, car hire scams, and theft from parking areas. Many stolen vehicles are linked to criminal activities with 40 percent of stolen motorbikes reportedly used in robberies.

SAKA aims to close the digital gap in crime reporting currently, less than 10 percent of vehicle thefts are reported online. With this platform, Mogo hopes to modernise crime prevention by fostering collaboration among citizens, law enforcement, and transport sector players.

“This is a bold step toward protecting the informal economy and improving public safety,” Mutea said. “SAKA gives Kenyans the power to saka ukweli to seek the truth“.