Stakeholders raise pertinent questions about bodaboda ban from Kampala city center

Safeboda for instance, questioned how riders from areas such as Najjera or Kira would complete trips to destinations within the central business district if bodabodas are prohibited from accessing key areas.

Stakeholders in Kampala’s transport sector have raised questions about the implementation and impact of a proposed ban on boda bodas and commuter taxis from the city centre, as authorities push forward with plans aimed at decongesting the capital and restoring order.

The debate intensified this week following a statement from ride-hailing platform SafeBoda and reactions from political figures and transport experts who say the policy could have far-reaching consequences for commuters and thousands of riders who depend on the industry for their livelihoods.

In a statement released on Friday, SafeBoda said while it supports efforts by the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) to organise the city’s transport system, several practical questions remain unanswered.

The company questioned how the new restrictions would work in practice.

Among the issues raised is how riders from areas such as Najjera or Kira would complete trips to destinations within the central business district if boda bodas are prohibited from accessing key areas.

“Are they meant to drop them off at Wandegeya, and the traveller finds other means? Do they need to return to their stage and incur the cost of fuel/battery?” the statement reads

SafeBoda also asked how passengers will find riders if stages are moved away from busy commercial zones and whether riders will be required to return to designated stages after dropping passengers outside the restricted area.

The company further questioned how digital ride-hailing platforms would operate if they are denied access to official stages and how stage owners will be selected and regulated.

KCCA’s plan to reorganise city transport

KCCA officials say the measures are part of a broader plan to reorganise Kampala’s transport system and address longstanding concerns about congestion, insecurity and disorder in the city centre.

Under the proposed regulatory framework, authorities plan to gazette about 929 boda boda stages across the city and allow only about 27,870 registered riders to operate from them in order to streamline the sector.

The authority argues that the move will help eliminate criminality linked to unregulated riders, improve traffic flow and restore order in the capital.

Government officials have also previously raised security concerns, noting that boda bodas have been used by criminals to trail bank customers and commit robberies in the city centre.

The crackdown is also part of a wider effort to remove illegal stages and street vendors from restricted areas such as around banks, embassies and key government offices.

KCCA officials say the bodaboda ban is part of a broader plan to reorganize Kampala’s transport system

Nina Roz calls for differentiated regulation

Singer-turned-politician Nina Kankunda, popularly known as Nina Roz, has joined the debate by questioning why riders working under structured digital platforms should face the same restrictions as informal operators.

Writing on social media, she argued that riders working with companies such as SafeBoda are already licensed, traceable and insured.

“The real question no one seems willing to ask: if SafeBoda riders are already licensed, traceable, insured and professionally organised, why should they be treated the same as the unregulated sector?” she asked.

She suggested that authorities should focus on regulating riders operating outside formal systems instead of imposing blanket restrictions.

According to her proposal, compliant platforms could operate within a clearly defined zoning and licensing framework while government ensures all operators meet the same standards.

Experts warn of economic and mobility implications

Transport analysts have also warned that the policy could disrupt mobility in Kampala if alternative transport options are not put in place.

E-mobility expert Tom Courtright noted that boda bodas currently account for a significant portion of daily trips in Kampala, offering a fast alternative in a city plagued by heavy traffic congestion.

He questioned how the city will replace the large share of trips handled by motorcycles if tens of thousands of riders are forced out of the central business district.

Courtright suggested that buses could be deployed quickly but warned that without dedicated bus lanes, they would still face the same traffic jams that many commuters use boda bodas to avoid.

He also raised concerns about the livelihoods of an estimated 250,000 riders in the Kampala metropolitan area who depend on the sector for income.