Bodabodas to leave city centre
Aug 03, 2006
BODA BODAmotorcycles are to leave Kampala city centre this financial year in a plan to decongest the city, Parliament was informed yesterday. <br>
By Mariam Nalunkuuma
BODA BODAmotorcycles are to leave Kampala city centre this financial year in a plan to decongest the city, Parliament was informed yesterday.
The minister of Works and transport, John Nassasira, told the parliament committee on physical infrastructure chaired by Nathan Byanyima that, “Government has appreciated the role played by bodaboda cyclists, who have served a good purpose to the public. But they have become a menace and a problem to the city traffic.
“In a bid to decongest the city this 2006/2007 financial year, we have decided that all bodabodas must leave the city centre. We are making a decree to that effect; we are working hand in hand with the cyclists for its implementation.â€
“In this process, we started with issuing a directive to all cyclists to have helmets, which many have defied. Now the directive to stop them from working in the late hours of the night is another, which we also realise many have still not obliged to,†Nassasira said.
He added, “the ministry has therefore thought it better to train and register them. We shall issue them public licences and whoever shall not have it will not be allowed to work.
“With the menace they have brought to the city, the ministry has decided to have designated parking space for them. We have already discussed with Kampala City Council (KCC) and resolved that they (KCC) construct a park where they will be operating from.â€
The minister also said heavy trucks would be stopped from entering the city during the day.
“We are working out modalities to ensure that lorries bring agricultural products to the city centre at night. There is no reason for them to come to the city during the day when it’s so busy,†Nasasira said.
Kampala resident district commissioner Stanley Kinyatta announced this week that the tax on boda- bodas would be reinstated this month. It was scrapped during the recent presidential campaigns.
Kampala has 10,500 registered motorcycles used as taxis and are commonly referred to as bodabodas.
BODA BODAmotorcycles are to leave Kampala city centre this financial year in a plan to decongest the city, Parliament was informed yesterday.
The minister of Works and transport, John Nassasira, told the parliament committee on physical infrastructure chaired by Nathan Byanyima that, “Government has appreciated the role played by bodaboda cyclists, who have served a good purpose to the public. But they have become a menace and a problem to the city traffic.
“In a bid to decongest the city this 2006/2007 financial year, we have decided that all bodabodas must leave the city centre. We are making a decree to that effect; we are working hand in hand with the cyclists for its implementation.â€
“In this process, we started with issuing a directive to all cyclists to have helmets, which many have defied. Now the directive to stop them from working in the late hours of the night is another, which we also realise many have still not obliged to,†Nassasira said.
He added, “the ministry has therefore thought it better to train and register them. We shall issue them public licences and whoever shall not have it will not be allowed to work.
“With the menace they have brought to the city, the ministry has decided to have designated parking space for them. We have already discussed with Kampala City Council (KCC) and resolved that they (KCC) construct a park where they will be operating from.â€
The minister also said heavy trucks would be stopped from entering the city during the day.
“We are working out modalities to ensure that lorries bring agricultural products to the city centre at night. There is no reason for them to come to the city during the day when it’s so busy,†Nasasira said.
Kampala resident district commissioner Stanley Kinyatta announced this week that the tax on boda- bodas would be reinstated this month. It was scrapped during the recent presidential campaigns.
Kampala has 10,500 registered motorcycles used as taxis and are commonly referred to as bodabodas.