Mulago gets 20 ‘boda boda’ accidents daily

By Frederick Womakuyu

You cannot visit Kampala and miss the passenger motorcycles dubbed boda boda taxis manoeuvre through busy traffic at unbeatable speeds on pavements, past pedestrians and sometimes through busy markets and stalls.

Their motive is to hurry, beat traffic jams or make an extra penny a day. For most passengers, boda boda have become a necessary evil. It is a necessity when one wants to beat traffic jam and it is the cheapest means for those who cannot afford personal vehicles or cabs.

So far, the boda boda are the most efficient means of transport in Kampala. But this has come at a cost.

The problem
Boda boda taxis have contributed to many accidents on Uganda’s roads. Dr. Bayeza Tito, the head of department, Orthopaedics, at Mulago Hospital says in a day, the department receives 10 to 15 minor accidents from boda boda cyclists. “They are treated for free and discharged.”

The minor accidents include broken fingers, minor bruises and deep-cuts.

Bayeza says for the major accidents, they receive about 20 to 30 incidents per day, involving those who cannot walk and have been paralysed with broken bones or back.

“Others are head injuries and the cyclist or passenger would have lost consciousness, had a ruptured spleen or liver. In a day, we work on 10 severe cases of boda boda accidents which are life-threatening.

Bayeza says the patterns of the accidents vary. “If it is high traffic season like holidays or graduation ceremonies, the number of boda boda-related accidents hike. During this time we receive about 20 major accidents per day.”

“About three-quarters of the accidents we receive in Mulago Hospital are boda boda related.”

Annually, Mulago Hospital receives about 7, 300 boda boda related accidents. “Out of 10 accidents that occur every week on Kampala’s roads, there is at least one person, either a passenger or boda boda cyclist who is knocked dead,” says Robert Katsigazi, a senior physiotherapist, at Mulago Hospital who carried out a study on boda boda related accidents.

According to the Police, the situation is grim. “On average, Wandegeya Police Station receives about five serious accidents related to boda bodas.

About 99% of the accidents are never reported so we may never get the clear picture,” says Jessica Achomiyi, the officer-in-charge of traffic, Wandegeya Police Station.

At Jinja Road Police post, about 100 boda boda-related cases are recorded daily. “Bodas are reckless,” says John Mugaga, a traffic officer attached to the station. “We need to act fast because the accidents are many.”

Why too many accidents
Achomiyi says the boda boda riders lack training. “Most of them have never gone to driving school and majority don’t have riding licenses. Unfortunately, we don’t have boda boda training schools in Uganda.”

It is a major problem. “But all the same, boda bodas are required to have licences and we treat them like vehicle drivers when it comes to enforcing the law. They are required to have all the papers.” On equipment, boda bodas are required to have helmets (one for themselves and another for the passenger) and indicators on their bikes but most of them do not have them. “A helmet is meant to protect the cyclist and his passenger in case of an accident,” says Mugaga.

However, Bayeza blames the Police for lack of enforcement of the law. “These bikes ride on pavements and have no helmets, but the Police is reluctant to arrest and prosecute them,” he says. “This has encouraged them to take advantage of the laxity in law.”

Achomiyi disagrees and says; “Unfortunately, there is no law governing the movement of boda bodas. But we use the same law governing other motorists,” she adds. “There was a temporary law during the Common Wealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) prohibiting bodas from riding in certain places of the city and they were not supposed to ride beyond a certain time. We are no longer operating within this law.”

She explains that the biggest problem is boda boda riders never obey traffic rules. “I see them everyday by-passing vehicles even if it is necessary for them to stop.” They have become the biggest violators of the traffic law in Uganda.

Boda boda’s perspective
Boda bodas complain they lack training on riding. “The Government has not set-up any school for us to train. We don’t know the meaning of the traffic signs and this is a problem,” says Kasaga Asuman, a boda boda cyclist, at the Mulago stage.

Kasaga says besides this, the licence fees for them to operate on the road are too high. “The Uganda Revenue Authority wants about sh300,000 for us to operate. We are poor people that make sh30,000 in two weeks. How can we afford this colossal amount?”

Another cyclist at the same stage, Moses Semogerere, says fuel is very expensive and they are pre-occupied with buying fuel instead of helmets, indicators and licences. “The Government should reduce on the fuel price.”

Boda boda operators argue that there are no other jobs, the reason they are in the transport business. “We know it is a risky job. Someone is not protected like in a vehicle but it is the only job we can do,” says Vincent Mawejje, another rider at The New Vision stage.

However, Mawejje blames the Police. “The Police has created enemity between us and them. Whenever we park anywhere in the city, they confiscate our bikes and demand kick-backs,” he adds. “Because we can’t afford to pay, they sell off our bikes. To avoid this, we run away whenever we see them and this has contributed to many accidents.”

The cyclists also blame the rampant accidents on the poor state of roads. “As we try to dodge pot holes, we cause accidents,” says Semogerere.

The cyclists also complain that taxi drivers never respect them on the road. “They treat us as if we are not entitled to use the road. They never give us space to ride in the middle of the road and that is why we ride on pavements,” says Mawejje. “Taxi drivers have forced us to ride on the right side of the road and yet in Uganda, we are supposed to keep left. This also has contributed to many accidents.”

Solutions
Achomiyi says enforcement of the law will solve the problem. “Currently, we are sensitising the boda bodas about traffic rules. We are moving from one stage to another teaching them how the law operates.”

She adds that they have started a crack down on the cyclists who continue violating the law. “This week, we confiscated about 100 motorcycles from traffic violators and arrested others.”

The boda bodas argue that repairing and widening roads will help reduce the accidents. The cyclists request that a school for boda boda cyclists be set-up to teach them how to ride, traffic rules and how to acquire licences and helmets. “We need education and sensitisation,” says Mawejje.

Dr. Bayeza says creation of alternative jobs for the youth will reduce the number of people going into the boda boda business. “ If the Government sets up factories and industries, the youth will abandon this risky business and work there.”

Martin Ojambo, a lawyer, at the High Court, says the Government must set up a law governing boda boda operations.

Outlook
Dr. Bayeza is positive that as long as Uganda’s economy continues growing, many people will abandon boda bodas for better means of transport. But, Ojambo says, creation and implementation of a law for cyclists will curb traffic offences by boba boda cyclists.