Kamuli Boda Boda riders scared over spate of thefts, murders
The chairperson of Labour boda boda stage in Kamuli municipality, Mr Swaibu Kitimbo speaks to the media on Tuesday. Photo | Philip Wafula
What you need to know:
- Shamil Mugere, who was in his early 20s, was killed on Monday night and a motorcycle belonging to his father taken by yet-to-be-identified assailants at around 7.30 PM.
Boda Boda riders in Kamuli municipality are pondering abandoning their jobs after the son of one of their colleagues was killed by yet-to-be-identified assailants before fleeing with the father’s motorcycle Reg. No. UGA 152Z.
Shamil Mugere, who was in his early 20s, and a son of James Mugere, who operates on Labour Boda Boda Stage in Kamuli municipality, was killed on Monday night after the father asked him to drop someone on a motorcycle at around 7.30 PM.
Ms Hajira Alinza who sells chips near the stage says Mugere asked his son (who was selling chips nearby) to drop a family member home, but warned him against carrying any passenger while returning
The father’s alleged reluctance to let his son ferry any passenger was because he wasn’t a Boda Boda rider, and there had been a spate of motorcycle thefts in the area, which left at least five of them stolen since the year began.
“This was the second time the deceased’s father was losing a motorcycle, having lost the first one at his home in December last year,” Ms Alinza said.
The chairperson of the Labour Boda Boda stage, Mr Swaibu Kitimbo, said their jobs have been besieged by motorcycle thefts and bandits who prowl the streets even during daytime.
“My colleagues have been beaten and robbed of money, phones and motorcycles, most of which were acquired through loans. At least five motorcycles have been stolen since this year began. The problem is that whichever suspects we apprehend are not prosecuted and end up being released,” he said.
Mr Alex Mawerere, a Boda Boda rider, said the perpetrators first scour the area for their victims, before zeroing in on the ones they deem most valuable.
Mr Ibrahim Mawalo, also a Boda Boda rider, said: “We are soon abandoning the job because when we subject a suspect to mob justice, we are accused of murder.”
The Kamuli Resident District Commissioner (RDC), Ms Rose Birungi, said they have had challenges of Boda Boda riders losing their motorcycles, while others have been killed or injured; however, the district security committee is trying to stop the vice.
“Last month, the district security committee and municipality officials met Boda Boda riders and their leadership, but their concerns were mainly on the loss of motorcycles; however, we noted that thieves are among them.”
“Some of the solutions are for them to leave their work early. I have always seen some of them work up to midnight or as late as 2am when the streets are empty and most passengers at that time are wrongdoers,” he said.
She, however, said they have laid “strategies”, which have seen the vice reduce from being daily to a few isolated cases.
She added that their intelligence-led operations have led to the arrest of over 20 people who have all been arraigned in court and are currently on remand.
