Busia, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Busia Resident District Commissioner-RDC, John Rex Achila, has nullified the newly elected boda-boda leadership and ordered fresh polls.
On Sunday, the National Union of Drivers, Cyclists and Allied Workers-(NUDCAW) declared Joseph Ojambo and Bernard Mukisa, as the chairperson of Busia district and Municipality Boda boda association respectively during a consultative meeting held at Dom Royal hotel in Busia town.
The term of office of the former boda boda leaders expired in December 2021, paving the way for the election of the new leadership. Moses Baleka, the Secretary-General of NUDCAW, says that they were mandated by the security heads in the district to conduct the polls.
He explained that they nominated five candidates, two vying for the municipality slot and three for the district. They went ahead and declared two contestants after eliminating the remaining candidates due to lack of a driving permit, one of the major requirements.
However, the RDC John Rex Achila has rejected the poll results, saying that there was no transparency. Speaking in a meeting with the riders at the district council hall on Wednesday, Achila noted that he had received numerous complaints from the riders demanding general elections and directed the development officer to organize elections effective immediately.
Michael Tenwa, Alex Odongo Menge, and Fred Ouma are opposed to the decision made by the trade union, saying most of them are none members. They want the RDC and other relevant authorities to help them conduct general elections.
John Akijo Wabuli, the Secretary-General Busia district boda-boda riders appealed to security heads to investigate the union and arrest the leader who brought them into the area for stirring confusion.
Didas Byaruhanga, the Busia District Police Commander-DPC condemned the decision of the union to sideline security heads on the issue of boda-boda leadership.
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