Bodaboda strike in Mbale

By Jonathan Angura OVER 1,000 bodaboda bicycle operators in Mbale Municipality on Monday went on strike over alleged harassment and exorbitant fines. The operators, who demonstrated on the streets, said they had to pay a sh30,000 fine whenever they defaulted on the daily sh200 tax levied by the Mbale Municipal Council. They demanded that the tender to collect the tax be awarded to someone else. The taxes are currently collected by a Ghanaian, Fred Williams, who won the tender five years ago. The chairman of the bodaboda association, Joseph Omondi, led the demonstrators to the council offices on Republic Street. They later met Hassan Galiwango, the Resident District Commissioner, in the council chambers and told him their grievances. Galiwango promised a solution. Ends