The boda-boda riders in Jinja city have expressed dissatisfactions over the lending motorcycle companies confiscating the bikes for delayed payments.
The important group undertaking the role of transporting people is crying to President Yoweri Museveni to intervene their critical challenges of motorcycle loans that has left many dead by commiting suicide while others have lost their properties.
They decry the growing number of corporate companies lending motorcycles on comprehensive and vehement conditions with their expensively paid motor bikes.
The said companies are reported to targeting these low income earners given their alleged unlawful activities against clients.
Mr Simon Musobya Eria, the chairperson of boda-boda riders in Jinja city explains the several challenging stereotypes his men experience in the field, alleging that some groups of people are targeting the riders.
“We are very disappointed with these companies lending us motorcycles. Even if you are nearly finishing up the loan, the company can grab the bike in case of any delayed payments in a week and no body could report anywhere,” says Mr Musobya.
A certain company lends a motorcycle at a deposit of shs600,000 with a number of guaranters, making a weekly payment of shs90,000 for a period of two years. The fixed and pressurizing installment payment leads to a full amount of shs9.96 million.
The abnormal and a “must be paid” money has prompted the riders to an urgent seek presidential intervention into the disturbing economic challenge among the group. Mr Musobya calls for an exclusive meetup with the president to be debate the importance of the bodaboda sector in the country.
“We want the president to either visit us or we visit him. We have written various documents but we suspect that they don’t reach him,” stated Musobya, maintaining that nothing will change in the fraternity unless president Museveni admits a meeting.
He further advocated for minimal charges of motorcycle driving permits for the cyclists to lawfully execute duties of transporting people. Musobya argues that the amount paid for a motorcycle driving permit would be equivalent to other huge motor vehicles, following the economic status of riders.
The chairperson clarified that the transport sector is not against the long-serving president Museveni as many claim on grounds of engaging in processions of opposition politicians.
“We are not against the president as many people think and we are not politicians. Our role is only to transport people to places they can’t reach by foot,” he said.
He, however, mobilized colleagues to actively participate in the national liberation day celebrations slater for January 26 in Jinja to earn a living.
