By Spy Uganda
Kampala: The Government of Uganda through Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) has revealed that unregistered Boda Boda riders will not be allowed to access Kampala City Centre starting Monday, September 19 2022.
This has been confirmed by the Minister for Kampala and Metropolitan Affairs, Minsa Kabanda following the completion of the registration exercise today.
According to Kabanda, the registered riders will be trained afresh and given new driving licenses and there will be no further extension for registration after the expiry of today’s deadline.
“We are going to work on those who have registered; gazetting of the stages, putting in the security code, and giving them jackets to put on. We shall work on those who are trained and have registered with us,“ Kabanda told journalists on Friday.
She explained that by last evening, a total of 35,000 Boda Boda riders had been registered.
In April, the Ministry of Works and Transport, KCCA, and the Police Force in partnership with Uganda Driving Licensing Agency-UDSA started training riders as part of the ongoing campaign by the government to organize the Boda Boda industry.
According to the registration guidelines, a rider is required to pay at least 65,000 shillings which includes 50,000 Shillings for training,10,000 Shillings for medical examination and 5,000 shillings for a recommendation from the leaders of the Boda Boda riders in Kampala organized under Boda Boda Industry Uganda.
The move to decongest the Central Business District (CBD) by removing Boda Boda riders and reducing public service vehicles was last year raised by Members of Parliament who tasked KCCA to provide alternatives.
In a meeting of the Committee on Physical Infrastructure, Tororo District Woman Member of Parliament, Hon Sarah Opendi said the CBD needs to have less motorized activity.
“This report is silent about the Boda Boda riders. What is the plan? should they be left to work outside the CBD?” Opendi asked.
She noted that over the years, KCCA has done nothing to consider the sidewalks for pedestrians.
“KCCA focuses more on constructing roads for cars and does not cater for pedestrians. They do not consider road safety at all yet we have so many accidents in this city. Prioritize road safety, especially the walkways,” she added.
