The Boda Gaali
By Kalungi James
In the bustling city of Kampala, amidst the chaotic traffic and honking horns, there is a unique mode of transport that has stood the test of time — the boda gaali, also known as the bicycle boda or bicycle-taxi. The boda gaali can be seen weaving through the streets of Kampala and near most fresh-food markets transporting passengers and / or luggage.
The boda gaali is a bicycle whose carrier, fixed above the back tyre, is designed with a comfortable cushion where the passenger can comfortably sit. The seat cushion can also easily be removed to enable the bicycle boda to carry luggage or cargo, most commonly bunches of matooke, sacks of potatoes, or crates of tomatoes. While it may come as a surprise to some, this traditional form of transport continues to thrive in the heart of the nation’s capital.
The present day petro-powered bodabodas transformed from manual bikes that existed way back in the early 1960’s at the Kenya — Uganda border and in eastern towns of Uganda up to Jinja. They later extended to Kampala, especially after 1986. Petro-powered Bodabodas were introduced to Uganda by BMK (Bulaimu Muwanga Kibirige) in the early 1990s by offering them on credit to Kampala’s riders, the first beneficiaries of this project were riders at Nabunya road stage in Rubaga. Yet their manual ancestors are still operating on the streets of Kampala.
Lubyanza observed that people who use bicycle boda to transport luggage often travel themselves by commuter taxis, petrol-powered bodas or move on foot, while letting a trusted boda gaali rider deliver the package to the agreed destination. Boda gaali can carry the same heavy loads that could be carried by a motorcycle, but deliver them at a cheaper cost than their more popular engine-powered colleagues. It is a popular choice for short distances, offering a swift and cost-effective way to navigate the city’s busy roads especially to city dwellers staying in low income suburbs like Nsambya, Katwe, Katanga, or Bwaise. Boda gaali charges between shs. 500/= to shs. 1,000/= ($0.14–0.28) for a distance up to four kilometers. Luggage is charged per unit, so a medium size bunch of matooke is charged Shs. 500/= and a large one is charged Shs. 1,000/= whereas a sack of potatoes (about 150kgs) is charged Shs. 2,000/= ($0.56) for up to four kilometers.
More still, boda gaali serves as a source of employment for many individuals in Kampala. In a country with high rates of unemployment, the boda gaali industry provides a valuable opportunity for livelihoods. However, it seems to be entirely male — all stages that Lubyanza visited reported that in the recent years, they have never seen a female Bicycle Boda rider, though one old-timer claimed he had seen one more than a decade ago.
Luganyi Eria has been a boda gaali rider at BBTA stage in Bwaise since 2006 after failing to get a formal job when he accomplished a diploma in Public Administration. Lubyanza noted that there is no clear record to show the number of people employed by boda gaali in Uganda, neither is there any record of accident cases involving boda gaali. While the 2002 census pointed to there being three times as many bicycle bodas as motorcycle bodas, by 2014 it had drastically reversed, with more than five times more motorcycle bodas than boda gaali.
However Kayemba David, a boda gaali rider at Katwe boda gaali stage, told Lubyanza that boda gaali accident cases are rare, and this is attributed to the facts that bicycle bodas travel at a controllable speed and at the extreme side of the road, among other reasons.
Boda gaali riders told Lubyanza that they earn an average income of Shs. 15,000/= per day (around Shs. 450,000/= per month), while ambitious, hardworking and lucky riders can earn even more. Riding Boda Gaali can only give one a foundation to the next level, but no one really wants to be doing this job for years and years. Many bicycle bodas are able to save money and exit this precarious and difficult job but for others the process is slow. Ssebaggala Michael, who was a boda gaali rider for close to two years now owns three motorcycles which are rented out as boda boda.
“Every Boda Gaali rider must have something they are aiming for as the next step in life,” said Ssebaggala, “because the job is too tiresome since riders operate manual bikes, among other challenges.” None of the bicycle bodas Lubyanza spoke with knew about the existence of electric bicycles on the market, which could save them a lot of sweat.
To get started, some boda gaali riders obtain bicycles through hire purchase and others on Kibaluwa (contract) basis, while a few obtain them through one time payment. A brand new bicycle costs Shs. 300,000/= ($82), but a bicycle obtained on loan can go for a total of Shs. 400,000/= to Shs. 500,000/= ($110–$137). Under a hire purchase agreement, a rider pays Shs. 5,000/= ($1.38) daily up to the completion of the agreed amount on top of the upfront of Shs. 50,000/= ($13.8). It’s bicycle shops and private individuals that give out the bicycles on loan. Kibaluwa / Kisanja riders pay Shs. 3,000/= ($0.83) daily.
Boda gaali stages cost between Shs. 100,000/= to Shs. 150,000/= ($27–$41) to join as a member. Through observations, bicycle boda work is so mobile that one can hardly find them parked at stages. More still, Eria told Lubyanza that boda gaali riders have tried several times to form associations but they have always failed within a short period of time due to mismanagement by leadership, which was blamed on most members being primary school dropout.
However, it’s important to note that boda gaali is not without challenges. Riding a bicycle boda and carrying heavy loads is very tiresome and so much affected by the topography of the area — which is why relatively flatter Northern and Eastern Uganda have around twice as many bicycles as the Central and West. Additionally, bicycle spare parts are expensive, and can cost bicycle bodas around Shs. 20,000/= a month on average. Kasim Mukasa, a bicycle boda rider at Kalerwe market stage says boda gaali is the most despised job in the transport sector, and they are out competed by motor cycle taxis since they charge almost the same fares for short distances. “Don’t show my face while taking photos,” said Kasim. “This work is shameful, I don’t want people in the village to know that I do this job.”
Nearly three decades after the introduction of motorcycles and five years after the first electric bicycles landed in the country, pedal-powered bikes still have a place on Kampala’s streets, even if many people choose not to see them.
