Netizens pocket-watch Tayebwa after revealing 10,000 boda boda business

Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa has sparked debate on social media after revealing that his company operates more than 10,000 boda bodas across Uganda, prompting netizens to calculate his potential earnings and question his investment in the country's troubled transport sector.

Tayebwa made the revelation while explaining how digital payment systems had helped his business reduce defaults among boda boda riders who acquire motorcycles on loan.

He said the company previously relied on cash collections, which allowed riders to delay payments on the grounds that they could not deliver the money in person.

However, the introduction of cashless payments has made collections easier and reduced excuses for late payments.

The revelation drew attention to Tayebwa's business interests, with some Ugandans estimating that his motorcycle operation could be worth tens of billions of shillings.

Others questioned why a senior government official would invest so heavily in boda bodas at a time when Kampala is struggling with traffic congestion and demands for an organised mass transport system.

Tayebwa owns Tayari Rides, a motorcycle financing company based on Yusuf Lule Road in Kampala. The company offers boda bodas on loan, giving riders an opportunity to acquire motorcycles through instalment payments.

Its services also include mobility solutions, ride-hailing support, logistics and asset financing, including electric motorcycle loans.

One of its partners is Spiro, an African electric mobility company that provides electric motorcycles and battery-swapping services.

Through the partnership, prospective riders can begin the process of acquiring an electric motorcycle with an initial payment of Shs150,000.

"Start your ride ownership journey with just UGX 150,000. Through Spiro and Tayari, you can take the first step toward a reliable electric motorcycle with a simple process and affordable entry," reads a promotional message on Spiro Uganda's Instagram page.

Applicants must present a copy of their national identity card, a recommendation letter from their LC1 chairperson, a letter from their boda boda stage, two guarantors and one next of kin.

Tayari's business network also includes security services. Retired Assistant Inspector General of Police Asan Kasingye heads Tayari Security Services as managing director.

The motorcycle financing business operates in a growing market where companies such as MOGO, Tugende and Asaak provide loans or lease-to-own arrangements to commercial riders.

However, it was the scale of Tayebwa's operation that attracted the most attention online.

One social media user estimated its value at $15 million, while another questioned the Deputy Speaker's investment priorities.

"Enough capital to do very many things but no, had to be 15000 bodas and these are the guys supposed to think about light rail and decongestion," the user wrote.

Another commenter expressed similar frustration.

"Come to think about it. Imagine having 50Bn, political leverage and so many other things in your favor, and your investment is 15000 bodas in a filthy city…"

Other users argued that the business raised questions about the willingness of political leaders to support alternatives to motorcycle transport.

"Clearly never going to have organized mass transportation at this rate. If one of the persons in the highest office can have a vested interest in bodas like this, do you think there will be anyone championing actual public transport?" one commenter asked.

Some netizens went further, attempting to calculate how much Tayebwa could earn from his motorcycles.

One commenter assumed that each motorcycle cost between Shs4 million and Shs5 million, placing the estimated investment at Shs50 billion for 10,000 motorcycles.

The commenter then assumed that each rider remitted Shs10,000 daily.

"10,000 bodas. Each cost him about 4M-5M Ugx. That's 50B Ugx capital. If each gives him 10,000 Ugx per day, that's 100M Ugx per day. A month, he takes 3B Ugx. In a year, that's 36B Ugx," the commenter wrote.

Another user argued that collections would be lower because some motorcycle financing arrangements do not require payments on weekends.

"For the country, and the city's organisation, it's terrible, for the individual making the money, those are crazy returns, that is crazy maths," the commenter said.

The calculations remain speculative. Tayebwa did not disclose the company's actual investment, daily collections, operating costs, outstanding loans or profits. It is also unclear how many of the motorcycles are still under financing agreements and how many riders have completed their payments.

Another commenter accused politicians with interests in boda bodas of benefiting from the continued disorder in the transport sector.

"He is one of the investors of the shambolic Transport industry that politicians have kept around for long. It forces one to buy Japanese used cars to escape their risky bodas," the user wrote.

The reactions come as Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) pursues reforms aimed at regulating boda boda operations and easing traffic congestion.

In February 2026, KCCA outlined plans to establish 929 recognised boda boda stages across Kampala, accommodating 27,870 registered riders under its proposed transport regulatory framework. Monitor+1

On April 1, 2026, KCCA councillors also reviewed a proposed Public Transport Management Bill. The draft seeks to introduce mandatory rider registration, designated stages, identification codes and regulated routes.

The authority says the reforms would improve road safety, reduce congestion and bring order to the city's public transport system. For a better City

The transport debate also comes against a worrying road safety record. According to KCCA's 2025 Kampala Road Safety Report, released on September 9, 2026, road crashes killed 407 people in the capital last year, compared with 404 in 2024. Another 2,993 people sustained serious injuries. For a better City

Despite the criticism, boda bodas remain an important source of employment and transport for thousands of Ugandans. They provide access to areas poorly served by public transport and help commuters navigate Kampala's congested roads.

Motorcycle financing businesses also allow riders who cannot afford to buy motorcycles outright to acquire them through instalments.

For Tayebwa, the revelation has turned a discussion about the benefits of cashless technology into a wider public debate about political leaders' private investments, motorcycle financing and the future of public transport in Uganda.

Although netizens have put figures on his potential earnings, the actual value and profitability of his boda boda business remain undisclosed.