Politicians must keep off boda boda reforms

Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) has drafted a law to resolve one of its intractable problems: Regulating the boda boda industry. The Kampala Capital City (Boda Boda Management) Ordinance, 2019, is meant to address elections of boda boda leadership, order the industry and provide mechanism for their licensing. Framers hope it will resolve the endemic dispute and factional fighting among riders, which previously birthed exploitation, gangs, physical confrontation, and innumerable tribes of illegalities.
As a principle, we welcome any informed attempt to organise the boda boda industry, particularly in the capital already suffocated by traffic gridlock amid exploding population. Why?
First, this transport sub-sector employs in excess of 200,000 people, majority being youth, according to a September 10, 2013 KCCA public notice then announcing City Hall’s blueprint to register motorcycles in Kampala. Second, unregulated boda boda business is a huge contributor to accidents, leading to deaths, deformities and colossal economic costs.
Official statistics show that no less than 60 per cent of Mulago National Referral Hospital’s budget on surgery is spent on treating victims of boda boda accidents; five pupils on average are injured during school term in crashes caused by riders and, four in every 10 traffic mishaps registered in the capital involve boda bodas.
Third, the quick mobility that boda bodas provide passengers is discounted by their sickening breach of traffic rules, alleged involvement in crimes, and disorderliness that pose ever-present danger to other road users.
It is our position that regularising the riders through registration and annual licensing will help sieve outlaws. Assigning each to specific stage is good for business. Establishing a central data bank for boda bodas, complete with their particulars and photograph, physical address, mobile phone numbers and history of accidents will streamline filtering, compliance, and quicker identification in the event of a crime or accident.
This information should be linked to the National Identification and Registration Authority and Electoral Commission records for easy authentication. A government-arranged cheaper credit for acquisition of new motorcycles and detection/ban on unregistered riders to operate in the capital would be great sweeteners to incentivise the riders.
The proposed ordinance offers to ring-fence stages for registered riders, empower them to elect a five-member management committee to handle their issues, sets licensing conditions and introduce city division-specific, colour-coded reflector jackets emblazoned with the rider’s individual identification number.
Private investors have proven boda bodas can be organised, respect traffic rules and act with civility. Political leaders must not interference with this initiative to streamline the industry. We task City Hall to focus on overhaul of the entire public transport sector.