Kampala - A Boda-Boda City

By Nsubuga Francis - AfrikaMzuri

A boda welcome

We call them boda boda but actually they are passenger carrier motorcycles. They are the first thing to catch your attention and they will amuse you the moment you drive out of the Airport at Entebbe. You happen to see them in amazingly large numbers. 

To many Kampalans, boda bodas are everything; conviniency, to some a menace, a curse, a job as well as a killer! 

Beating Traffic

Many would rather jump out of the car on to a boda boda especially during those peak hours. No one wants to be stuck in that car for close an hour only to go through that Clock Tower roundabout! 

They dodge traffic and can swiftly go to all corners of the city. Many times they are seen continuing to ride even at redlights! 

A Bread Earner

To the riders, boda boda is a Job. The unemployment together with the entreprrnural spirit has driven many youngstars into the business. Many of these are gradutes or former public servants especially teachers and security officers. 

Local Tourism

At a relatively smaller fee, one can get a boda boda to ride around the city. This is the best way you can reach all corners. Riders usually have good customer care specially when it comes to starting conversations with their customers. Talk ranges from sports, politics and all sorts of trending issues, local and international! 

A beautiful scene

Its beautiful to see boda bodas all over the place especially when they are coming from Namboole, the home for Uganda's national football team, The Cranes or when a key political figure passes through the city centre. Such scenes are chaotic but beautiful for the eyes as well.

Killing Machines

We have seen the good side, please there is a dark side with boda boda when it comes to our dear lives. Most accidents around town are boda boda related. I have told you how some of then ride past red lights! They squeeze themselves even where they are sure they can't fit and the next thing you hear is a crash or a hit.

Another awful side

Among these riders, there also hide goons who patner with thieves. Kampala has a wonderful night life and night time party goers end up as victims to boda boda thefts. He rides you to ganga territories where one can hardly survive. Some carry crooks who snatch phones, bags as well as jewerly. 

You can avoid this

Yes you can. We have good boda boda. Its better you jump to the one with a stage. We aso have #SafeBoda whose riders are regulated ad trusted. They also carry a second helmet for the pasenger.

You can also do the following;

Look critically at the rider and have eye contact. This helps you to identity if the rider isn't high on alcohol or drugs anf if he avoids you, perhaps he works with goons or he is a wrong element. 

• Board from a stage because in case of any problem, he can be traced. 
• Please let him ride you on your orders. Don't just stay silent as the rider recklessly carries your dear life.
• I suggest you buy your own helmet, that's for the times you will use boda boda and if you don't trust the hygiene with the riders' second helmet. 
• I ask them before the ride, 'will you tke me safely? I have people who cre about me and I believe you too!' This is a reminder to him about his own family waiting at home! 

I believe these tips can to some level help you have a safe ride in Kampala especially on the boda bodas becuse we can't avoid them, they also greatly contribute to the economy! 

And I also want to remind you that this is #UG! Very OK with what you might call wiered. We still love our boda boda filled city!