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Uganda’s streets are now dominated by motorcycles, a signal of both opportunity and dilemma.
This unprecedented surge in motorcycle imports is reshaping livelihoods, redefining the informal economy, and raising concerns about safety, jobs, energy, and the environment.
According to Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) records, between FY 2020/21 and FY 2023/24, motorcycle imports surged from roughly 159,000 units to a staggering 500,917 – a 214.7 per cent jump that now represents roughly 63.6 per cent of all vehicle imports.
This shift has displaced cars as the dominant mode of new vehicle entry and has turned the bodaboda sector into one of the largest informal sector shock absorbers for youth unemployment. In Kampala alone, an estimated 350,000 riders ply city roads every day.
At the national level, the number of boda boda operators runs into the millions. The sector does far more than ferry passengers; it sustains mechanics, spareparts dealers, fuelstation staff, and financiers.
For many young Ugandans, whether they possess formal education, capital or social connections or even without a driving permit, a modest capital outlay can open a path to a daily income.
But the very informality that fuels these livelihoods also dampens the tools of regulation, taxation, safety enforcement and environmental protection. Most boda bodas are petrol-powered, driving up fuel imports, choking urban air with emissions, and adding to the commotion of noise that already plagues congested cities such as Kampala.
The environmental cost is stark: every additional petrol bike deepens Uganda’s reliance on imported fossil fuels and amplifies health risks linked to air pollution. Recognising the looming climate and health threats, both government and private actors are increasingly championing electricvehicle (EV) motorcycles.
Electricity in Uganda is largely generated from renewable sources, meaning that the running costs of an electric bike are considerably lower than those of a petrolpowered counterpart.
Moreover, electric bikes produce zero tailpipe emissions, offering the promise of cleaner urban air and reduced pollutionrelated illnesses. The government has begun to signal support – tax incentives for electric vehicle assembly, plans for local manufacturing, and proposals for charging and battery swap stations could seed a nascent clean mobility ecosystem.
If realised, this shift could spawn new jobs in assembly plants, battery logistics, charging infrastructure and specialised maintenance training. However, the transition will be anything but automatic.
Riders continue to favour cheap petrol bikes because the upfront price of an electric model remains out of reach for most. Without affordable financing schemes, a reliable charging network and clear evidence that lower operating costs outweigh higher purchase prices, the electric wave may bypass the very people who drive Uganda’s transport economy.
Politics adds another layer of complexity. In the recent election cycle, boda boda riders were courted as voters, mobilisers and opinion leaders, with promises of tax relief, credit schemes and protective measures.
Yet such pledges have historically offered short-term appeasement rather than lasting reform. The post-election period now presents an opportunity to move beyond promises and address the motorcycle boom as a structural economic reality that must be aligned with longterm clean energy goals.
If the surge in motorcycle imports continues unchecked, the country risks entrenching a fleet of polluting petrol bikes, inflating fuel import bills and endangering public health. Harnessing the job creating power of boda bodas while steering the sector toward greener, more regulated practices will require political will, targeted incentives and a genuine commitment to the longterm welfare of both riders and the planet.
A coordinated policy push to offer affordable financing for electric bikes, rider-training programmes, gradual formalisation and investment in clean energy infrastructure could turn the Boda Boda boom into a catalyst for sustainable growth.
The author is a research analyst at Economic Policy Research Centre
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