KCCA starts boda bodas census today

Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) has announced a boda boda census that will see all motorists operating from the central business district registered.

The census will be conducted at designated venues from today.

Mr Robert Kalumba, the KCCA spokesperson, told the Monitor in a telephone interview yesterday that the exercise would ensure proper planning.

“The census is to help us know how many boda bodas we are dealing with in the city.  You cannot streamline what you don’t know,” he said.

According to a statement released yesterday, KCCA will take stock of all the motorcycles in the city divisions of Nakawa at Nakawa community hall, Kawempe at Makerere Yellow Primary School and Central at Bat Valley Primary School and Old Kampala Secondary School.

In Makindye Division, the exercise will be conducted at the Officer’s Mess, Lukuli playground and Kansanga Seed School Playground while in Rubaga Division, it will be held at Rubaga Division gardens.

 The exercise is expected to run up to August 30 from 8am to 5pm.

“Riders shall apply and be counted in their respective divisions of operation and for riders who registered with the RCCs, this exercise will require them to update and re-validate the information provided,” reads the statement in part.

KCCA further asked the riders to have national identity cards, a copy of the log book, letters from LC and Parish Internal Security Officer (PISO) and a duly filled application form that will be available at the census centres.

“This is a free exercise, and no one should be charged. All motorcycle owners and riders must participate, come have your motorcycle counted,” he said.

 In 2011, Ms Jenifer Musisi, the then executive director of KCCA, carried out a census of motorcycles to streamline the transport system under the authorities’ new city arrangement. However, only 400,000 motorcycles were counted before security halted the exercise.

Ms Musisi said the boda boda industry remained unregulated.

 Government, through KCCA, in 2020 unveiled a plan to ban boda bodas from the city centre and create free zones outside the central business district, among others.

Government, however, suspended the plan for the city’s transport system for taxis and boda bodas to fast-track a legal framework under which the same scheme can be implemented.

boda riders say

Mr Samuel Amanya, also a boda boda rider in Makerere Kikoni, said the census is timely and KCCA will devise means of decongesting the city through a well-informed plan.

Mr Daniel Walukaga, another boda boda rider, said: “The idea is very good, but might not yield any tangible results because KCCA has previously had many good ideas which have been implemented half way.”