The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Mbarara, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Mbarara municipal council has embarked on a process to eliminate over 2000 boda boda riders from the central business district as part of its efforts to streamline public transport and reduce congestion in the city that comes into effect on July 1, 2020.
Statistics from the community development office shows that over 5000 boda bodas operate in Mbarara municipality.
Richard Mugisha, the deputy town clerk Mbarara municipality says they have started the process of demarcating and coloring boda boda stages on gazetted streets where they will be allowed to operate from.
He says only High street will be exempted from the boda boda operations in line with the council resolution.
However, the demarcation exercise hasn’t gone down well with the Boda boda leadership in Mbarara municipality.
Sadious Oukunda Salongo, the chairperson Mbarara municipality Boda Boda Association says they were never consulted of the demarcations and are not ready to vacate their stages.
Oukunda says they have over 500 stages in town and hear more than 200 stages will be closed after the demarcation exercise.
Elasto Agaba, a boda boda rider says he isn’t ready to quit since he paid for the stage where he operates from.
“I paid 800,000 to join this stage last year. They are now telling to us leave, I cannot accept to lose my money because the city is coming,” he said.
But the deputy town clerk, Richard Mugisha says the riders were supposed to pay registration fees as a community development organisation and not stage operation fees.
Didas Kamugisha, general secretary Mbarara Municipality Boda boda Association says some stages that have been left out in the demarcation exercise yet they were approved by the council.
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