In a bid to curb insecurity threat presented by the growing motor cycle business, government is set to emphasis the use of specific number plates for motor cycles with the aim of creating visibility and differentiating between commercial and private motor cycles.
With many opting to use the motor cycles commonly referred to as boda bodas as a means of transport, the recent high profile murders have not only scared the users but forced a crackdown on the business. Government reaction informed by the fact that witnesses to these killings indicate the assassins were riding motorcycles.
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Ministry of Works and Transport Commissioner Winstone Katushabe says government will harmonise registration of these boda boda number plates.
Katushabe explains that plates will be issued depending on the purpose of the motorcycle. Black and yellow are for personal motor cycles, the white and black have to be for commercial purposes and all these have to have two number plates behind and in front.
Government is also planning to carry out a a national registration and verification exercise for all riders in the city and rural areas. According to Katushabe there will be a data base for all riders in sync with the East African community countries
Katushabe says, "We shall have a verification process to look at all particulars of riders this should take effect this financial year."
However, some riders have complained that the registration is an expensive venture. Peter Kankaka who works with Century Boda Boda group notes, "It costs between 180,000 to 500000/- to have those black and white number plates."
The state minister of Works General Katumba Wamala insists hat the boda boda industry is one that needs to be organized as the country works on the transport backbone.
Wamala says, "We could have cured the boda boda industry but this is impossible at the moment with out a good bus transport. In the meantime it remains business as usual as government plans to have all boda boda riders and their particulars registered this financial year."
