By Martha Amanya,
NATIONAL
Uganda People’s Congress- UPC has asked stakeholders in the formalization of the Boda Boda industry in Kampala to extend the exercise to other parts of the country as the business entrenches in both urban and rural areas.
This call has been made by the party’s mouthpiece Sharon Arach Oyat while speaking to journalists at UPC headquarters- Uganda House in Kampala on Wednesday.
“This initiative will help to ensure that the riders get valid driving permits, safety of the passengers and also minimise on the crimes and keep an eye on each boda boda since they will know who owns it and at what stage he / she operates,” Arach said
It should be recalled that in a bid to streamline the Boda Boda industry, Kampala Capital City Authority- KCCA and other stakeholders have come up with an initiative to register all Boda Bodas in Kampala in what is termed as Boda Boda census. During this exercise, the riders are given refresher courses on road safety, allocated Gazetted stages among others and are later issued valid driving permits.
UPC embraces the exercise and calls for unity of all agencies and the riders to ensure its success.
“KCCA, therefore, needs to cover the gaps especially ensuring that Boda Boda riders are sieved and well trained to do the job with traffic knowledge and worth on the road as opposed to just briefing them!” UPC implored
The party furthermore asked for fighting of shortcomings of the Boda Boda industry than looking at the riders as criminals yet the industry employs a large number of the youth who have been unemployed previously.
