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Fort Portal, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Several women in Fort Portal tourism city have embraced the boda boda business. The female riders say much as the business is dominated by men, they were compelled to join the industry to make ends meet.
Teddy Kabatooro, the chairperson of the Fort Portal Women Boda Boda Riders Association, says that their membership has so far grown to over 20 members.
“We have been able to receive new members and that’s why we decided to form an association. Though we have a number of challenges, with time they will be solved,” Kabatooro stressed.
Kabatooro who has been in the boda boda business for 7 years now, says that she has managed to construct a house and look after her family with her earnings.
Sara Namara, another female boda boda rider says that she has managed to purchase her own brand new motorcycle in just one year. She says she wants more women to join the industry instead of remaining jobless.
However, all is not a bed of roses for the female riders who are determined to establish their own stage. They particularly single out stiff competition from their male counterparts and criminal gangs targeting their motorcycles as the major challenges affecting their operations.
Family time
The female riders say that they have been able to convince their spouses to allow them to work and return home early to take on their family responsibilities.
They also say that the job has been able to help them reduce violence in homes since they are able to support their husbands by providing essential family needs.
The female riders however expressed concern over the political leaders in the area who have failed to link them to the president who promised them support during the Rwenzori tourism expo at the Mountains of the Moon University.
They are optimistic that the support would help them acquire more motorcycles for distribution to their members.
The women now say they want to establish their own boda boda stage in the city center so that they can attract more clients. Laurence Muzoora in charge of traffic in Fort Portal city, says that they are encouraging women to embrace the industry and help them to acquire ridding permits to empower them.
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