Kampala, Uganda — Police has asked owners of thousands of motor cycles (boda boda) held outside many stations in Kampala, to pick them. They did not specify if any fines will be paid by the owners.

"There are motor cycles parked at various police stations unclaimed for. These motor cycles have no cases under inquires and have spent some time at these police stations. We thus appeal to all riders whose motor cycles are at different police stations to come with relevant documents and take their motor cycles," Uganda police said in a statement.

Boda Bodas are increasingly the leading cause of accidents on Ugandan roads, and are often impounded for breaking traffic regulations. It is not clear however why thousands remain unclaimed.

In just the last week, July 7th - 13th July 2024, Police reported 81 people died and 301 sustained injuries in road related accidents. In the same week, operations related to boda-bodas saw 787 riders got on cases of riding without crash helmets and without reflective jackets

Crashes on motor cycles, both riders and passengers accounted for 59% of the total death on roads in the past week, followed by pedestrians who contributed to 35%.

Among the dead are 35 motorcyclists, 28 pedestrians, 13 passengers on motor cycles, three pedal cyclists , one driver and one other person.

Police attributed major causes of these road crashes to careless overtaking, which contributed to 31% of the total crashes, followed by speeding with 19% of the total crashes

In one notable incident, one person died July 13 at Katende along Masaka-Kampala Road in Mpigi district at around 4:00pm.

The crash involved motor vehicle UAY 400Yambulance belonging to Specialist Doctor International, motorcycles UEW 020M Baja boxer and UDZ 939B Bajaj Boxer.

The crash occurred when the said ambulance carrying a body from Jinja to Kyotera while at Katende attempted to overtake a queue of vehicles and collided head-on with two motorcycles traveling in the opposite direction towards Kampala.