Motor bike cyclists popularly known as “bodaboda” are a common sight on the streets of Kampala and other urban areas in Uganda. According to the road safety performance review report (2018), the number of motorcycle taxis in Kampala increased from 15,979 in 2007 to 405,124 in 2014. Their increasing number is worrying, given the increasing number of road traffic injuries caused by “bodabodas”. The road accidents are largely as a result of lack of basic knowledge of traffic laws and blatant disregard of law and order. The Road Safety Performance Review Report (2018) indicates that motorcycle fatalities between 2011 and 2016 doubled from 570 deaths to 1170 deaths (51.3 percent increase in the five-year period).
The Motor bike cyclists have also been linked with high crime, robbery and murder. Conversely, “bodaboda” riders have also been victims of crime. Most recently, Mr. Derrick Mulindwa, a “bodaboda” cyclist, was murdered in Kakyeka, Mengo in Kampala. A recent mini survey conducted by Uganda police indicated that 28 “bodaboda” riders have been murdered in a space of three months, a situation which is very alarming.
Despite the menace, this mode of transport seems to be here to stay. This is largely because “bodabodas” provide a source of livelihood to the many unemployed youth. The demand for “bodaboda” taxis among consumers has also increased. Their ability to penetrate remote locations, and the rising traffic congestion has made them an attractive alternative in beating the traffic jam and penetrating inaccessible and unmotorable suburbs.
The importance of “bodabodas” and the rising crime calls for proper regulation of the sector. While many of “bodabodas” riders are organised in associations, this mode of self – regulation is not sufficient to reduce frightful crime prevalent in the sector and to ensure that “bodaboda” riders abide by the traffic rules and regulations for their own safety and that of their passengers and other road users.
Traffic officers have been deployed on the roads both in the city, highways, and other roads to enforce traffic rules but their attempts to tame the “bodaboda” riders have been futile. Many errant riders are evading the law due to lack of enforcement of the regulations put in place to regulate the sector. While CCTV cameras have been installed in the city and along some major highways, it not a preventive measure as they only become handy after a life has been lost to murder or accident. In addition, it has been reported that some riders offer bribes to traffic officers to avoid fines and prosecutions.
While regulation of this industry is very essential, their large numbers in the city presents a very hard task for the government to execute. However, the rise of private companies such as safe boda, taxify and uber does provide a better avenue to regulate these riders. The private companies require a rider to have a motorcycle in good working condition, own a riding permit, and must belong to a particular bodaboda stage as prerequisites to becoming members. The private companies also provide training on the traffic rules and regulations.
The private companies have also managed to reduce the number of bodaboda murder cases due to the use of technology which enables the service providers to get the clients’ details such as the name, phone number and place. This eases the traceability of the time and place of crime.
The government could supplement the private sector solution by conducting mobilization and sensitization exercises designed to educate bodaboda riders on traffic rules as well as guiding them on how to protect themselves from the possibility of such murders. Bodaboda riders should be advised to take caution and avoid travelling long distances especially at night as this increases their vulnerability to crime. The government should also regulate the sale of used motorcycle spare parts, for this could be acting as conduit for stolen motorcycles which are usually dismantled and each part is sold individually in form of spare parts.