The bike lady

Bridget Kalanguka standing by her motorbike.PHOTO BY ABUBAKER LUBOWA. Photo by Abubaker Lubowa

What you need to know:

COURAGEOUS. There is definitely something special about a girl who rides motorcycles. For a year, Bridget Kalanguka has been riding a Honda XL125. She shared her experience with Lydia Ainomugisha.

Every weekday, Bridget Kalanguka 25, rides her motorcycle fearlessly from her home in Muyenga; a Kampala suburb to Workers’ House in the city centre to work. She is a data Integrity Officer at National Social Security Fund (NSSF).
Though she believes that riding is normal, she can’t help but notice the stares from fellow motorists and other road users whenever she is on the road.
“Some people find it cool in fact the boda boda cyclists near my mechanic’s garage in Namuwongo always clap for me whenever I start the motorcycle because from their facial expressions I read that they always wonder how I will start the bike,” she says.
While some people love watching her ride, most women seem scared and tell her it’s not safe but she says she gives the riding maximum attention and her love for it is unstoppable.
Kalanguka, however cannot take anything for granted, so before she starts her motorcycle, she prays for God’s protection.
Before she began riding her bike, she used to wear skirts and dresses to work. But her new found passion dictates that she wears trousers daily to work. To remain official, she ensures that her trousers are formal. As for shoes, she wears ankle boots because they are comfortable for riding and still suitable for work. She wears the casual ones on Fridays.

How she started riding
Ever since she was in her Senior Six vacation, Kalanguka longed to own a bike but couldn’t afford one.
In 2012 after completing her university degree, she started putting together the Honda XL125 that had been parked at her home for some time.
“My uncle abandoned it there after upgrading to a car. It had been at home for some time and most of its parts needed replacement,” she says.
By mid last year, it was in shape and ready for use.

Learning to ride
Luckily for Kalanguka, she already knew how to ride by the time her uncle’s old bike gained shape.
A collegue at Mbarara University of Science and Technology called Emma had taught her how to ride.
This coupled with her knowledge about riding a bicycle and driving a manual car came in handy.
“I was not scared of the road because I was used to riding my mountain bike on the busy Mbarara Road every day from my hostel to campus,” she says.
Although her father rode a motor bike in his hey days, he was sacred and kept his fingers crossed for her to return safe whenever she rode. Soon he got used to it.
Her mother on the other hand initially thought she was joking when she indicated her interest in bikes.
To date, her mother will not accept a ride because Kalanguka’s siblings told her that she rides very fast.
“I simply take off when I am on a highway or clear road,” Kalanguka whose bike doesn’t have a speed guage, says.

Dream bike
She dreams of having a bigger motorbike. She doesn’t mention the brand of her dream bike, but says she can identify it when she sees it.
She simply loves her bikes raised, pretty and not masculine.