Don’t use boda bodas after 7pm – Police

Police spokesperson Fred Enanga. 

What you need to know:

  • In an interview on Urban Television on Sunday, President Museveni wondered why boda boda cyclists’ movements were restricted at night while other businesses and vehicles were allowed to operate.

Police have warned that anyone found using a boda boda after 7pm will be stopped and asked to find alternative means to get home because cyclists are not allowed to operate beyond that time.

Speaking at a press conference at the police headquarters in Naguru yesterday, Police spokesman Fred Enanga said: “If you think you are going out [at night] ensure that you have means to transport you back other than the boda boda. If you are going to go out and think you are going to call a boda boda rider to come and pick you at 10pm, 11pm, midnight or 1am, then you have to know that there are inconveniences and disruptions that come along with that.”

This follows the full reopening of the economy yesterday. However, the 7pm curfew for boda boda cyclists was maintained.

In an interview on Urban Television on Sunday, President Museveni wondered why boda boda cyclists’ movements were restricted at night while other businesses and vehicles were allowed to operate.

He said he was told by the members of the taskforce against coronavirus that the restrictions were due to security challenges rather than Covid-19.

The President said he ordered the committee to review the movement restrictions against the boda boda cyclists since his orders had nothing to do with insecurity but prevention of the spread of Covid-19.

The taskforce is yet to meet to review their measures.

But Mr Kanyike Kiviri, the chairman of the boda boda riders in Kampala Central, said the President allowed them to operate at night like other motorists in the country.

“We have 30,000 riders in Kampala Central alone yet there are only 8,000 bikes. If you block night riding, you are denying more than 10,000 people employment,” Mr Kiviri said.

Since the curfew regulations started in 2020, the police have impounded more than 5,000 motorcycles every week that violate curfew.

Mr Enanga also urged the public to follow standard operating procedures (SOPs) and other security measures.

These include entertainment centres ensuring that all clients are sanitised before they access the venues.

The entertainment centres must have metal detectors at the entrances and concerts must be done within an enclosure.

Mr Enanga said their officers will continue to carry out patrols in rural and urban areas.

In October last year, the United Kingdom and France issued terror alerts and warned their nationals to avoid crowded areas and entertainment centres. Weeks later, suspected terrorists attacked a pork joint in Komamboga in Kawempe Division, Kampala City.

Three other terror attacks were carried out prompting Uganda to deploy troops in eastern DRC to flush out ADF rebels.

Mr Enanga said the terrorists are still active and all businesses operating at night must put up measures to prevent attacks.