Kampala authorities are grappling with over two million motorcycle taxis operating with minimal regulation as unemployment drives thousands into the informal transport sector. A joint census by the Kampala Capital City Authority and the Works ministry found that 94 percent of riders lack proper licenses, 98 percent operate without public service vehicle permits, and 73 percent have no vehicle registration documents. The unregulated expansion has contributed to rising road casualties, with motorcyclist fatalities increasing 13.2 percent and passenger deaths climbing from 614 to 676.
President Yoweri Museveni allocated 10.2 billion shillings to motorcycle taxi cooperatives across Kampala, Mukono, and Wakiso to help operators acquire vehicles at reduced interest rates of 6 percent. The government also reduced licensing fees from 500,000 to 100,000 shillings as part of efforts to formalize the sector ahead of elections. Traffic officials report that approximately 25,000 new motorcycles enter the market monthly, while enforcement capacity remains inadequate, leaving the capital dependent on an essential but increasingly hazardous transport system.
President Yoweri Museveni allocated 10.2 billion shillings to motorcycle taxi cooperatives across Kampala, Mukono, and Wakiso to help operators acquire vehicles at reduced interest rates of 6 percent. The government also reduced licensing fees from 500,000 to 100,000 shillings as part of efforts to formalize the sector ahead of elections. Traffic officials report that approximately 25,000 new motorcycles enter the market monthly, while enforcement capacity remains inadequate, leaving the capital dependent on an essential but increasingly hazardous transport system.
