Crazy Boda Boda (Bike) transport system in Kampala, Uganda (EastAfrica)

For any that have had a chance to visit Kampala, Uganda (EastAfrica) you most definitely won't miss the sight and noise of the buzzing Boda bodas aka Motor bikes. Because of the heavy traffic in the city, this quicker and seemingly convenient means of transport is considered easier to get you around Kampala. 

Unfortunately though this convenient means of transport registers the highest number of accidents daily in the causality wards of the biggest referral hospital in Uganda (Mulago Hospital). The Government has been reluctant to streamline and organize this transport sector citing reasons of high unemployment rates among the youth in Uganda who resort to riding bikes as a source of survival.

A few private companies like SafeBoda have created an uber kind of system with a SafeBoda app to organize this sector. Out of over 100,000 bikes in Kampala city, SafeBoda has so far registered over 1,000 bikes on their platform where each rider is given 2 helmets, other for the passenger. The passenger is able to download the app on their smartphone to order for the boda ride and can either pay cash or mobile money (digital money over the phone).

With the increase in smartphone usage in Africa and the growth of the crypto space, we anticipate more bikes signing up for more organized transport systems and could also pay with bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies alongside mobile money.