Governing the boda-boda transport sector in Kampala City, Uganda

Abstract

Motorcycle taxis commonly known as Boda-bodas in Uganda has been looked at as the solution to the problem of easy mobility and unemployment in Uganda’s urban centers in general and Kampala for our purpose. However, it should be noted that a lot of problems have come up from this very “solution”. Boda-bodas have been on several occasions been reported in newspapers and other media as being the convenient means of transport used by criminals as they accomplish their heinous missions. It is from such background that it is necessary to find out why is it that these unbecoming activities have continued to take place. Through various research methods, this study sought to fill the knowledge gap on the ways how the “ungovernable” Boda-boda operators can be governed/ regulated. This research profiled the Boda-boda riders, investigated the role of city authorities on management of Boda-boda transport, examined, and highlighted the legal/regulatory framework that guides Boda-boda taxi in Uganda. Interesting finding was recorded and came up with recommendations of what needs to be done to effectively regulate Boda-boda transport sector. The research was carried out with in the central business district of Kampala.