Singer-turned-politician Nina Kankunda alias Nina Roz has weighed into the debate surrounding Kampala’s ongoing boda boda regulations, arguing that riders operating under organized platforms such as SafeBoda should not be treated the same as unregulated operators.
On Friday, the singer questioned why riders who are already part of a structured, licensed system would face the same restrictions as those operating informally on the streets.
“The real question no one seems willing to ask: if SafeBoda riders are already licensed, traceable, insured, and professionally organized, why should they be treated the same as the unregulated sector?” Nina Roz wrote on X.
She suggested that instead of imposing sweeping restrictions on all riders, authorities should focus on regulating operators who remain outside formal systems.
“If KCCA can establish a licensing framework, it can also establish a clear zoning and access procedure. The solution is not to ban the organized. The solution is to regulate the disorganized,” she added.
“Create a formal operational structure for compliant platforms like SafeBoda and hold everyone else to the same standard. That is how functional cities are built.”
Nina Roz’s remarks came in response to a statement issued earlier on Friday by SafeBoda, which acknowledged Kampala Capital City Authority’s efforts to restore order in the city but expressed concern about uncertainty surrounding the implementation of new restrictions.
Last month, KCCA intensified enforcement operations targeting illegal boda boda stages and street vendors in Kampala as part of a broader effort to streamline city operations.
The crackdown has particularly focused on preventing riders from operating in unauthorized areas such as around schools, banks and other restricted zones.
In its statement, SafeBoda said it has spent more than a decade working to professionalize Uganda’s boda boda sector, adding that thousands of riders rely on the platform for their livelihoods.
“For more than 10 years, SafeBoda has been at the forefront of professionalizing Uganda’s boda boda transport industry. Today, thousands of boda riders depend on the platform to earn a living for themselves and their families,” the company said.
While the company said it supports initiatives aimed at restoring order in Kampala, it warned that the new directive restricting boda bodas from accessing parts of the city has created confusion among riders and digital transport platforms.
“In recent years, including the past few weeks, KCCA has shown great efforts in bringing order and sanity to Kampala, and we are supportive of these noble efforts. However, the recent blanket directive restricting boda-bodas from accessing the city has raised many concerns for SafeBoda and the driver community in general,” the statement reads.
SafeBoda added that several operational issues remain unresolved despite earlier assurances that authorities would consult stakeholders before implementing the measures.
