Boda boda cyclists demand meeting with President Museveni over lockdown

Boda Boda riders on stage
Boda boda riders

Kampala, Uganda |URN | Boda boda cyclists in Kira municipality want to meet President Museveni over the continued lockdown.

On Monday 22, June 2020, President Museveni said restrictions on boda-bodas, schools, religious gatherings, hawkers, arcades, salons and curfew among others would continue as the country continues to ease the lockdown.

President Museveni said that if the boda-bodas are allowed to transport people at this stage of the infection, it may lead to further spread of the virus and may be worsened by the challenge of tracing for their contacts.

Julius Byarugaba, the speaker of the Boda Boda Association which represents over 2,000 cyclists says that there is an increase in domestic violence because men are failing to take care of their families after the lockdown affected their daily income.

On Thursday 25th, the association petitioned the Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga. They asked her to intervene in the matter.

Read Also: Museveni has failed to capture boda boda industry – American Scholar

Byarugaba says that meeting the President will enable him to understand the rationale of opening up the industry. He says the President’s advisors could be misleading him.

The chairperson of the Association Bosco Buziba says that they are willing to ensure that all their passengers and riders follow the standard operating procedures which include carrying sanitizers and wearing face masks.

Kadaga told the cyclists that she is already handling the matter.