The United BodaBoda Cooperative Union has unveiled a mobile application designed to improve safety and security for bodaboda riders, passengers, and the general public.
Speaking during the official launch early this week, the chairman of the United BodaBoda Cooperative Union, Mr. Frank Mawejje, described the application as timely intervention in a sector suffering with rising insecurity.
The App features a user-friendly interface that allows both riders and passengers to report suspicious activity in real time, enabling swift police response.
“One of its key innovations is its ability to help identify and flag suspicious luggage, which has increasingly become a security concern in the sector. Unlike many other ride-hailing platforms, the BodaBoda Union App offers coverage across the entire country, not just within Kampala. This wider reach allows the app to serve a broader population and makes it a more inclusive security tool for riders and passengers across Uganda,’’ Mawejje said
Additionally, the app provides trip monitoring features that track both riders and passengers during journeys, it also includes an emergency button that instantly alerts the police in cases of insecurity.
With over 1.2 million bodaboda riders and about 150,000 registered stages nationwide, the industry plays a vital role in Uganda’s transportation system.
Mawejje, further said the app is part of the union’s ongoing efforts to professionalize the bodaboda business, protect riders and their communities.
“The bodaboda industry is usually the most affected during terror threats. This app helps us protect our people and our livelihoods,” Mawejje stated.
Rashid Kawawa, spokesperson for bodaboda riders in Kampala, explained that the app was introduced to streamline operations in a sector that has been infiltrated by criminal elements.
“It gives riders and passengers a way to speak up when they sense danger. That makes a huge difference,” Kawawa said.
The union is currently working with the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) to crack down on unauthorized riders who operate outside of designated stages and are reportedly linked to criminal activity.
For a long time the BodaBoda sector has experienced criminals and unprofessional riders infiltrating the sector, the introduction of Mobile APP will enhance security and tracking down criminals, providing safety for it passengers, which is a major step in professionalizing Uganda’s bodaboda industry and restoring public trust in the sector.
