Government urged to remove curfew for boda bodas

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | E-Trade Association, an umbrella organization that converges companies and organizations that use the power of the internet to create jobs in Uganda is urging the government to ease COVID-19 restrictions on boda bodas and allow them to operate beyond 7pm.

The association says the move will ease transportation mobility for Ugandans.

Blessing Owomugisha, the acting secretary general Uganda National Chamber of Commerce and Industry said, “the boda-boda industry is the second largest employer in Uganda after agriculture and it provides a livelihood for close to seven million citizens in Uganda who would otherwise be engaged in illegal and illicit activities…it is also largely considered as one of the cheapest and most effective modes of transport that facilitates business engagement.”

Owomugisha said, keeping the industry under restricted movement (curfew) when the economy has finally opened up after two years is a dis-service to the business community that heavily relies on it as a primary facilitator for their business engagement in regards to the ease of movement of goods, services and personnel from one place to another.

The association says the boda boda sub-sector employs over 1.2 million people. E-Trade Association together with its partners calls upon the business community, regulators and general public to participate in the petition to end boda curfew through signing the petition #bodasafter7 via an online link.