Muntu says to regulate govt officials in bodaboda business, moneylenders

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Despite Uganda operating in a free-market economy, Alliance for National Transformation (ANT) presidential flag-bearer for the 2026 General Election, Maj. Gen. (rtd) Mugisha Muntu promises to deal with government officials who have infiltrated the bodaboda business industry. He says civil servants' indulgence in the industry has caused unfair competition with poor Ugandans.

"Because government officials have entered bodaboda business, over four million bodaboda riders are suffering with high-interest loans because there is no regulatory body to guard against unfair competition," he says.

Muntu pledged during a campaign rally at Kataraaka zone, Kijura town council in Kabarole district on October 29, 2025.

Voters listening to Muntu in Kabarole. (Credit: Stuart Yiga)

Muntu interacting with Kabarole voters during the campaign. (Credit: Stuart Yiga)

"Government officials are the ones importing motorcycles in the country but are the ones setting prices for themselves, including loan limits under which they conduct business with our people," Muntu added.

"A new motorcycle is sold at shillings 5.5 million, but due to unregulated moneylenders in the business, one pays 100% interest rate up to sh12m, which exploitation must be guarded by the Government," he said.

"I promise to institute a regulatory body to bring interest rates down to match the cost of a new motorcycle," Muntu added.

"We shall do this to help families of bodaboda riders to accumulate the income required to invest in productive ventures and fight poverty".

Moneylenders must be regulated

Muntu vowed to create a regulatory body and enforce the way moneylenders handle their businesses with fixed lending rates.

"Even if it is in a free-market economy, there are key areas where the Government must regulate, like the cost of money, which drives the economy. A functioning government can't allow exploitation of its citizens; there must be guidelines to guard against all these," he noted.

Muntu not only promised to create a tea regulatory body to guard against price fluctuations but also to fight corruption in government.

"Uganda loses over $2 billion in corruption every year, and I promise to fight it to the last cadre. At 30 years, I was the army commander, but I did not steal Ugandan taxpayers," he insisted.

According to Muntu, corruption has been responsible for the poor road network, railway infrastructure, a poor healthcare system, poor education standards and a lack of power connectivity in villages when we have power generation centres.

"We do not have a healthcare centre, an ambulance and a seed school in Kijura town council," Valent Arinaitwe, an area resident.