Boda riders seek answers from motorcycle financing firms after colleague’s son is killed

Boda boda riders in Kamuli municipality, Kamuli District have turned to motorcycle lending firms for answers after a colleague’s son was killed by suspected robbers, who fled with the father’s motorcycle.
 
Shamil Mugere, who was in his early 20s, and a son to James Mugere, who operates on Labour boda boda stage in Kamuli municipality, was killed Monday after the father asked him to run some domestic errands.
 
Shamil who was selling chips near his father’s boda stage, was last seen alive on that fateful day between 7:30pm and 8pm. 
 
“The father asked him to drop a family member home, but also warned him against carrying any passenger while returning,” Ms Hajira Alinza, who operates a similar business nearby, said.

READ: Kamuli Boda Boda riders scared over spate of thefts, murders
 
The father’s alleged reluctance to let his son ferry any passenger was because he wasn’t a boda rider, and there had been a spate of motorcycle thefts in the area, which claimed at least seven operators prior Shamil’s death.
 
Mr Joshua Ibanda, who operates on Labour Stage in Kamuli municipality, says what is puzzling is that most of the stolen motorcycles have a tracker whose location is only known by the motorcycle financing companies.
 
“These motorcycles have trackers, but shortly after they are stolen, the tracker also goes missing. We, the riders, don’t know where the tracker is, but the company does. Are these thieves former employees of these motorcycle financing companies?” he asked.
 
 
The chairperson of Labour boda boda stage, Mr Swaibu Kitimbo, said their job has been besieged by motorcycle thieves and bandits who prowl the streets even during daytime.
 
The secretary of Labour boda boda stage, Mr Alex Mawerere, said the perpetrators first scour the area for their victims, before zeroing in on the ones they deem most vulnerable.
 
“In one of the most-recent scenarios, the passenger said he was going to Irundu and back, before robbing our colleague of his motorcycle,” said Mr Mawerere.
 
Mr Ibrahim Mawalo, also a boda boda rider, said potential motorcycle thieves first steak out the area for between three and seven days, then lure their victims to deserted places where their accomplices lie in wait.
 
However, the Kamuli Resident District Commissioner (RDC), Ms Rose Birungi, urged the boda boda riders to always leave their work early.
 
“I have always seen some of them working up to midnight or as late as 2am when the streets are empty and most passengers at that time are wrongdoers,” Ms Birungi said.
 
She added that their intelligence-led operations have so far led to the arrest of over 20 suspects, who have all been arraigned in court and are currently on remand.