Safe Boda riders, KACITA push for lifting curfew on motorcycles

By Charles Katabalwa

17^th Jan 2022

Safe boda riders in conjunction with E-Trade Association of Uganda and Kampala city Traders Association (KACITA) have demanded curfew on boda  to be lifted to save the sector and enable mobility as the economic fully re-opens.

On Decembers 31 2021 during the nation address, president Museveni announced reopening of the economy and lifted curfew on a number of sectors including public transport but 7pm red line remained on Motorcycle.

Papa Thomson Ricky co- founder and director safe boda says cutting off on the easiest means of transport has consequences not only on the earning of those in the sector but also n the sectors that are now operational like education and other sectors yet to come.

Ricky adds boda boda industry is the second largest employer in Uganda after agriculture and provides a livelihood close to four million citizens in Uganda who would otherwise be engaged in illegal and illicit activities.

Therefore it’s unfair to allow other sectors to operate and deny boda bodas a chance yet all people and sectors have suffered the rough of Covid-19 lockdown.

Meanwhile Isa Ssekito the KACITA spokesperson during the same press conference said that government’s failure to lift curfew time for boda boda is going to affect the economy much harder saying the sector is directly employing over 1.2 million people and it enables many small and medium scale businesses such as restaurants, bars, gyms, supermarkets to stay open until late because employers are assured of affordable means of transportation and safety to their employees.

He has advised government to work with leaders of boda boda riders to get strategies on how boda bodas can operate fully amidst insecurity threats and COVID-19 guidelines.