• General
• Life

ShareThis

Average rating

 

 

 

 

 

(0 votes)

Rate this: ---Excellent!Great!GoodQuite goodNot so great

• regina's blog
• Login to post comments

Kampala city, like any other African city, is a busy one with many business activities taking place. “Whoever comes to the city in the morning should go back with a polythene bag commonly known as Kavera,” said the mayor of Kampala, during his election campaign. This meant that people would daily earn money to do shopping for their families.
 
Early mornings as I get to work, I usually see the Uganda traffic police scuffling with the motorcyclists. Motorcycles have become a daily means of public transport for people rushing to work. Traffic Jam is the order of the city of Kampala.
 
In Uganda, motorcyclists were left unregulated. Because of traffic jams motorcycle transport has increased and is an efficient means of movement. This kind of transport requires little space to move, and while the vehicles are packed in jam, the cyclists always find their way through. But in the process, they cause many accidents and are a nuisance to the motorists. However, Ugandan traffic laws have in the past ignored their presence.

The police commenced with the exercise of checking on the legal requirements to operate the motorcycle transport commonly known as Boda Boda. The following are checked:
Third Party Insurance (13,000/= equivalent to $68), which is paid annually, two head helmets, the PSV (Passenger Service Tax – 35,000/= equivalent US$.18), and the driving permit (300,000/= equivalent to US.$. 157). To many cyclists it is a great burden as they do not own the motorcycles, and their terms of employment are quite stringent.
 
In 2009, Boda Boda drivers threatened the Government that they would strike. They were promised that the issue would be sorted out soon.  But surprisingly, they are being harassed by the Uganda traffic police traffic officers, again causing chaos in the city.
 
Sometime back, the daily newspaper New Vision and the television station UBC, reported that the majority of the accidents in Mulago Hospital are as a result of Boda Bodas. At the Jinja Road police post, about 100 boda boda-related cases are recorded daily. "Bodas are reckless," says John Mugaga, a traffic officer attached to the station. "We need to act fast because the accidents are many."

Hence the authorities are regulating the Boda Boda transporters to reduce accidents. This is a good move, but the law is not sustainable, as the traffic officers are very corrupt. In Uganda there are no Boda Boda training schools. So most of the drivers have never gone to driving school and the majority do not have driving licenses.

During my dialogue with Mr. Kato (not his real name), who is a motorcyclist operating in Wandegeya, he clarified that, “they would fulfill the requirements if they are not multiple.” He sadly added, “we also pay for the working permit at the stage where we pack, as we await the passengers.”

Depending on which stage the Boda Boda's operate from, the permit ranges from UGX 400,000-500,000/= (US$263), payable once. For example, at the stage at the Parliament, Wandegeya, they pay UGX 200,000/=  and on Namirembe Road, UGX 300,000/= (US$157). “My sister, it is like buying a plot of land.  Anyway we have no choice, in the city, survival is for the fittest,” Mr Kato lamented. In rural areas they also charge differently per stage, ranging from UGX200,000/=  to 150,000/=. It is unfortunate that ignorance about the law is no defence. Laws are quite discriminatory, and it is the poorest that are mostly hit the hardest.
 
“There are many challenges in this business. We at times transport wrong-doers because of ignorance of who is a genuine passenger.  Most times we are the victims,” commented another driver, named Felix.

Though motorcycles are a quick means of transport, during the rainy season there isn’t much business, as they have no roof and it is more risky driving through muddy roads. I also established that there is stiff competition depending on the model of the bike. Customers prefer BOXERS and TVS (new models) rather than the MATE (old model).

Though Mr Kato had many challenges, but a Mr Male said it’s not all that bad. He managed to buy a plot from the hard-earned income of Boda Boda work. Male testified that “I am able to pay for my children’s school fees and feed my family of five people".
 
Micro financiers support the Boda Boda business to help create employment for the youth. However, something must be done by the Government to avoid mistakes which might create unemployment for the youth.
 
The issue of Boda Boda passengers wearing helmets is opposed by many Ugandans, on the ground that they are quite heavy and hazardous to health.