Bodas to pay owners extra Shs5,000 per day 

Taxi and boda boda owners have asked the operators of their assets to start making more daily remittances, citing high operational costs and costs of living.

Usually, depending on the state of the motorcycle, operators have been remitting between Shs8,000 and Shs10,000 to their bosses per day for five days a week, while Saturdays were gazzetted for servicing the asset. The rider does not remit on Sundays.

However, riders say some of their bosses have increased the amount they are asking for per week, while others have scrapped their Sunday benefits.

Mr Michael Kivumbi, a teacher at Kiige Primary School, Kagumba Sub-county in Kamuli District, who acquired two motorcycles on loan, said he has now instructed his riders to bring in Shs16,000 per day, up from Shs10,000.

“I have increased their daily remittances to meet service costs and for my survival and so far, so good. I am told my riders have also decided to hike their fares,” he said on Tuesday.

Mr Rashid Sajjabi, a rider, said most motorcycle owners in Kamuli now demand between Shs12,000 and Shs16,000 per day, up from between Shs8,000 and Shs10,000.

“We have decided to maintain the fare at Shs6,000 from the [Kamuli] Hospital stage to Kasolwe, but carry an extra passenger or two more in order to cover the costs,” he explained.

Mr Fahad Masaba, a boda boda rider at The Oak Bar and Restaurant Stage, a popular hangout spot in Mbale City, said at least 16 motorcycle owners at his stage have asked their riders to start remitting Shs15,000 per day, up from Shs10,000

In Busia District, owners of new motorcycles are hiring them out to riders at Shs12,000 per day or Shs72,000 per week, up from Shs10,000 or Shs60,000 per week, while the cost of hiring an old motorcycle has increased from Shs7,000 per day or Shs42,000 per week to Shs10,000 per day.

The Monitor understands that “new motorcycles” are categorised as those whose licence plates are from Registration number UFM to the current UFQ series, while “old motorcycles” are largely those with a yellow background in their licence plates.

Mr Faisal Bandari, who owns several motorcycles, said he now wants his riders to make more daily remittances because the price of buying the machines has risen.

“Previously, I bought each motorcycle at Shs4m, but the price has shot to Shs5m,” he said.

Mr Joseph Egesa, a boda boda rider, however, said the money being demanded for by motorcycle owners is too high.

He said: “The price of fuel has increased, which has negatively impacted our profit margins; and a distance which required fuel worth Shs3,800 now requires Shs8,000 yet customers are not sensitive to the fuel price hikes.”

Taxis not spared

Mr Simon Ndyamanyi, a taxi driver, said he previously remitted Shs700,000 per week to his boss, but he has since been asked to start remitting Shs850,000, a figure he deems too high.

“Taxi owners always demand money without putting into consideration the cost of fuel and lack of passengers. All they want at the end of every week is their money,” he said.

One of the taxi owners in Busia Town, who declined to be named, said the hike of hire fees was due to the price at which they were buying vehicles.

“Formerly, a used taxi went for about Shs30m but now goes for more than Shs50m,” he said.