A section of boda boda riders in Kampala has threatened to protest against digital number plates.
The boda boda riders from Nansana, Bwaise and Kitintale in Kampala told journalists that they are yet to see the usefulness of the digital number plates being touted by government.
According to Gilbert Kiweewa, a rider from Nansaana,it was astonishing that his motorbike was knocked by a government vehicle with digital number plates but it has proved futile to trace .
Costly
The initiative to install digital number plates is part of President Museveni's comprehensive 10-point security measures.
This measure was formulated in response to a marked increase in gun violence within the nation, a crisis that tragically resulted in the loss of several Ugandan lives by assailants moving mostly on motorcycles.
According to the ministry of Works and Transport new vehicle and motorcycle owners are to pay Shs 714,000 for the digital number plates, while already registered users would be required to pay Shs 150,000 and Shs 50,000 for vehicles and motorcycles, respectively.
The boda boda riders however say the digital number plates are costly.
"They want to turn every boda boda man into a thief. Boda boda's can be the instruments of both right and wrong. A big percentage of us don't see the reason to do wrong, or participate and abet in illegality. But if you take away our will to leave, we are left with no option. We have the biggest spy network in the country, which also means we know where every big wig in the country stays. We are not saying we will do anything violent, but in all honesty, we will find out who is behind the digital number plates that are going to torment us and match to their homes in protest," Simon Kasibante, a boda boda rider in Bwaise said .
"The boda boda business is the lowest of lows, and yet it will receive the biggest blow. Where one has been paying shs5.8 million to receive a brand new boda and more when loaned, we will have to be paying shs6.41 million. It is a tax that we are aware, even the U.R.A is not comfortable with. It is a tax that has been levied on the poor person, as a result of the corruption of the rich people that are pushing for it. It is common place now, that the Russian company fronted as the manufacturer of the digital numbers plates was found non-existent in Russia. They leave us no option but to strike. We shall announce a nationwide stand down, and if that doesn't work, we shall ride to Parliament."
Last year, the Minister of Internal Affairs, Kahinda Otafiire and the Commissioner General of Uganda Revenue Authority (URA), John Musinguzi expressed reservations about the high price to be charged for the digital number plates, warning that the exorbitant costs will not only erode incomes of the motorists but also affect revenue collection.
The two made the remarks while appearing before Parliament's Physical Infrastructure Committee that was scrutinizing a motion that was tabled by Kampala Capital City Traders Association (KACITA) who petitioned Parliament, asking to have the digital number plate project halted over the high cost to be charged, until the cost is revised.
Otafiire denied knowledge on the criteria used to hike the price from shs150,000 to shs714,300 saying that although the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Police are key stakeholders in Uganda's security, the two entities weren't consulted on the pricing.
"I am unhappy about the cost, but unfortunately, I am not the one who determines the cost. I have heard about the cost in the press, nobody has brought it to my attention to address, so my role in that aspect is limited," Otafiire said.
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URA's Musinguzi described the proposed cost as prohibitive and revealed that according to the proposed cost, the tax body is projected to collect shs12 billion from the issuance of digital number plates monthly given the fact that Uganda gets 14,197 motorcycles and 3,806 motor vehicles per month.
"The cost is prohibitive...I think it is important that the negotiators go for the most optimal because there is a benefit they want to achieve, but also a cost that would be draining money from taxpayers which could be spent on other areas, other than this technology. I think in my opinion charging shs714,300 from boda boda, probably registration and clearance of boda bodas will significantly reduce, but I don't have the numbers," said Musinguzi.
The boda boda riders however say Parliament and President Museveni ought to intervene to save the situation.
