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Paper short abstract:

Boda-Boda motorcycle taxis are a popular yet dangerous and inefficient form of public transport for Kampala. This article examines how their political mobilization shields them from taxation and regulation in Uganda and prevents innovation within the public transport sector.

Paper long abstract:

Over the last decade, city authorities and state institutions repeatedly announced the abolishment of “Boda-Boda” motorcycle taxis in Uganda’s capital Kampala. However, until today, no attempt to implement a ban on this popular form of public transport has been successful. While the number of motorcyclists continues to rise, urban planners remain frustrated over the lack of political commitment towards improving the public transport system. Due to the unhindered mobility their motorcycles provide, Boda-Bodas have become a politically valuable resource. Both the government and opposition parties compete for their favour to utilize this potential within large-scale mobilization strategies. To achieve their political goals they also continuously attempt to integrate as many riders as possible into party affiliated structures. Consequently, riders and political actors have formed close ties and mutual dependencies that are further strengthened through overlapping affiliations and large investments into the Boda-Boda sector. While these interdependencies politicize the sector, they also help to ensure the persistence of motorcycle taxis as a central element of public transport in Kampala and prevent major reforms. Based on fieldwork conducted between 2018 and 2022 this paper therefore argues that continuous political competition for the support of Boda-Boda riders in Uganda has resulted in patronage networks that ultimately secure the status quo in Kampala’s transport system. By outlining the political role of Boda-Boda riders in Kampala it aims to widen the understanding of the political dimension of public transport providers in competitive electoral systems in Africa and the mobilities and immobilities it produces.