The Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) announced yesterday, their new regulations on the Boda Boda Industry, the motorcycle taxis transport, which are an integrated part of traffic and transport of the capital. Especially, in a congested and jam infested capital like Kampala. There is no luck to dip through traffic in a ordinary sedan or an SUV in the midst of rush hour. You need to be quick and either jump from a taxi onto a boda boda, if you want to dip through quickly.
This is common knowledge. When you have a private car and passing through jams. It isn’t the boda’s that create its. Its the lack of enough lanes, enough incentive for people to use collective transports and the lack options, also decongest the roads. It is not like you switch to decent roads, accept for the main roads or the feeder roads. The area around the Central Business District is packed. The roads out in all directions get filled quickly and at some point of the day. Your going to get stuck.
If the Boda Boda Free Zone get activated. There will be underlying issues. As the boda’s themselves has to avoid these districts. The passengers can only be transported to the edge and need to take a second option to get to work. They will switch from boda’s to Taxis or Specials. That will be costly to pay to fees for the same range. The shillings will go up for each employee within the CBD.
The ones who already drives cars to work will not feel this. They will be unaffected. The Boda’s are maybe out of the CBD. However, the same delivery cars, the same heavy cars, the convoys of VIPs and personal cars will pass. The Taxis will be in and around the area. They will go to stages and to the Taxi Parks. To think otherwise is naive.
The only ones hurt by this is the boda boda drivers and the passengers. Who has less options to dip through traffic and get quicker out of the CBD in jams. That option will be gone, because you have to get out those before switching transports. And inside a taxi in the middle of a jam. You are sort of stuck until you hit a stage. That might take some time and you could read a chapter in book before reaching there.
The idea are made with its best of intentions. However, the effects and the possible trouble it causes. The time consuming for the ones using it. Has that come into the equation or is that just mere bystander to the issue?
There is no cause without an effect. There is no action without a reaction. Also, a regulation like this will hurt some segments of the public. It will not only be hard for the policing and stop the drivers from passing. Has the KCCA thought of giving alternative routes and roads to pass to the boda boda’s?
In the statement, there is nothing like that and the operators. Have they gotten the proper guidelines and understanding of it? What is the cost, if they by mere unluck are going into the free zone? Will they be impounded and the passenger be detained too? What is the sort of fine or obstacle?
There is only a blockage and guideline. However, how will it be enforced and who will do the bidding for it?
What will the state earn on closing the CBD for boda boda’s and not having the ability to dip through traffic and jams from there. You have to get to outer stages to be able. That is really hectic. However, that is the will of KCCA and the citizens just have to abide.
Good Monday, the ones whose used to dip through traffic in jams after work on boda boda’s, better be prepared. They will not be able and they got to find other means. Also, bring a book. The jam is going to be there, but not the means criss-cross it and pass through on two wheels. Peace.
MinBane 