Whether boda boda riders (commercial motorcyclists) will be permitted to operate beyond 7:00pm

Police spokesperson Fred Enanga said that the Joint Security Agencies had reviewed the lifting of curfew restrictions and thereby devised a set of enforcement guidelines with regard to boda boda operations. These guidelines, Enanga said, have been forwarded to the president for guidance.

Enanga added that until the president responds to their proposed enforcement guidelines, all those concerned should remain patient and calm.

“The leadership of the joint security agencies had constructively reviewed the lifting of curfew restrictions on the boda boda sector and came up with a set of enforcement guidelines and measures that have been forwarded to President Museveni. We look forward to more guidance on the full range of enforcement measures and how we shall implement them. We, therefore, urge all stakeholders in the boda boda industry to remain calm and hopeful as we work towards the full reopening of the sector,” Enanga explained.

In light of the said restrictions regulating boda boda operations, sections of the public have appealed to the government to allow boda bodas to fully operate, as with other transport sectors of the economy.

Despite these widespread appeals, it remains tough going for boda boda riders since the economy was fully reopened on Monday, January 24.

However, president Museveni said that the Covid-19 Task Force Committee and himself would review the terms of their suspended operations, generate findings and communicate accordingly.

“My boda boda people, I had asked that they stop at 7:00pm, but I have seen them protesting in different ways and on social media platforms. However, I have asked the committee to look into their matter,” Museveni said.

However, allowing boda bodas to operate as freely as other sectors of the transportation sector was seen through the lens of security and not health, he added.

“I have asked them to leave the security and look at other perspectives, they will review it and communicate. Meanwhile, the rest should continue as per my initial address,” Museveni revealed.

In 2019, Uganda Police registered over 150,000 motorcycles.

Addressing journalists at the time, Enanga said that the registration process aimed at finding the exact number of boda bodas in the country in order to put them in a security database, to monitor and identify them in view of reports linking them to several crimes.

“We believe that this is part of our security enhancement mechanism because we have been finding challenges that many are vulnerable and some also double as criminals at the same time, so this registration is going to help weed out riders who are not very thorough with their documentation,” he said.

The registration of boda boda riders involved them providing police with their national identity cards, place of residence, type of motorcycle, supporting documents of the motorcycle and its other particulars.

“Although boda bodas are very essential currently in our communities the public must also be aware that there are no legal frameworks governing this sector. This has allowed criminals to use them to commit crimes,” added Enanga.