Former NRM Eastern Region Vice Chairman Capt. Mike Mukula has raised alarm over the rapid expansion of Uganda’s boda boda industry, warning that the sector’s unregulated growth poses escalating risks to public safety and urban order.
In a statement, Mukula said Uganda now has between 1.8 million and 2 million boda bodas, with an additional 25,000 to 30,000 motorcycles entering the market every month.
He noted that in Kampala’s central business district, motorcycles outnumber cars by almost five to one, creating what he described as a “sea of traffic” that increasingly determines mobility patterns in the capital.
Mukula said the industry employs more than one million youth and transports millions of passengers daily, yet remains largely informal and uncoordinated.
He warned that without strong regulation, the sector’s scale and pace of growth could turn into a national challenge.
“To harness its economic value while reducing accidents, crime risks and congestion, we must organise, register, train and digitise the boda boda industry,” Mukula stated.
He added that “growth without regulation is a ticking time bomb.”
He urged government, city authorities and transport regulators to adopt modern control systems and introduce structured training to improve safety and accountability.