Arua transport paralysed
Nov 15, 2007
ARUA town has suffered its worst public transport nightmare over the last two weeks after the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) launched a crackdown on unregistered motorcycles (bodabodas) and those with fake number plates.
By Frank Mugabi
ARUA town has suffered its worst public transport nightmare over the last two weeks after the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) launched a crackdown on unregistered motorcycles (bodabodas) and those with fake number plates.
Frank Keinamura, the acting URA manager in charge of the north, said over 200 motorcycles had been impounded and scrutinised for fake and foreign registration number plates.
“It had become common for people to ride unregistered motorcycles, while those that had number plates were for DR Congo, Sudan or were forged,†Keinamura said.
He explained that since Arua bordered DR Congo and Sudan, some people were acquiring the foreign registration numbers to avoid paying local taxes.
Some bodaboda operators said registering a motorcycle in Uganda was more costly than doing so in Sudan or DR Congo, where most of the motorcycles are bought.
“You need over sh600,000 to register a new motorcycle in Uganda, but in DR Congo, a number plate costs just sh30,000,†one of the riders said.
Keinamura said they had also discovered that a number of Ugandan number plates, just like the Sudanese and Congolese, were fake.
He said the exercise would go on despite its effect on the town’s transport system.
“It is our responsibility to enforce laws on taxation and collect revenues.â€
The few remaining cyclists have hiked prices.
ARUA town has suffered its worst public transport nightmare over the last two weeks after the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) launched a crackdown on unregistered motorcycles (bodabodas) and those with fake number plates.
Frank Keinamura, the acting URA manager in charge of the north, said over 200 motorcycles had been impounded and scrutinised for fake and foreign registration number plates.
“It had become common for people to ride unregistered motorcycles, while those that had number plates were for DR Congo, Sudan or were forged,†Keinamura said.
He explained that since Arua bordered DR Congo and Sudan, some people were acquiring the foreign registration numbers to avoid paying local taxes.
Some bodaboda operators said registering a motorcycle in Uganda was more costly than doing so in Sudan or DR Congo, where most of the motorcycles are bought.
“You need over sh600,000 to register a new motorcycle in Uganda, but in DR Congo, a number plate costs just sh30,000,†one of the riders said.
Keinamura said they had also discovered that a number of Ugandan number plates, just like the Sudanese and Congolese, were fake.
He said the exercise would go on despite its effect on the town’s transport system.
“It is our responsibility to enforce laws on taxation and collect revenues.â€
The few remaining cyclists have hiked prices.