Uganda: Politics On Two Wheels - Motorcycle Taxis and Divergent Development Rwanda and Uganda

17 February 2015
analysis

Anyone who has sped across the cities of the African Great Lakes region at night on the back of a motorcycle taxi, whether gliding along Kigali's immaculate thoroughfares with their flashing disco-lit traffic islands or dodging potholes in backstreets of Kampala, will understand why this mode of transport does such roaring trade. Termed boda-bodas in Uganda (derived from the term 'border-border' in reference to their origin in the Kenya-Uganda borderlands) and taxi-motos in the Francophone countries, the two-wheeled public transport option offers a solution to that most common of urban nuisances: traffic gridlock.

In a region of hills, valleys and swamps, the ease and convenience of the boda/moto option is unparalleled for those who can afford the dollar or so it costs to cross the city. Visitors returning from the region to Europe or the United States often endure a frustrating transition period, incredulous that they can no longer simply step out of the house, find a personalised ride in seconds and reach their destination in minutes.

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