President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni marked his 81st birthday on Sunday with a pledge to shield boda boda riders from predatory lending practices.
The celebrations, held at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds, coincided with the first-ever Boda Union Festival and Expo, drawing riders from across the country.
The President attended the event alongside the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Maama Janet Museveni, who joined in thanking boda boda riders for standing with him on his milestone day.
Museveni reassured the transport sector of government support, criticizing exploitative moneylenders who burden riders with unrealistic repayment demands.
“My agreement with the Boda Bodas is that it is criminal for someone to give you a rabbit and then demand a cow in return. Moneylenders give you Shs5 million and expect Shs15 million back. That is robbery,” Museveni said.
He condemned high interest rates, branding them as “enemies of progress” that obstruct key sectors such as agriculture and transport.
The President reminded riders that government had already introduced the Parish Development Model (PDM) to make low-interest loans accessible to vulnerable groups.
“If we give you Shs1 million, you pay back just Shs1,125,000 after two years. We have applied the same arrangement for the ghetto and now for the Boda Bodas,” he added.
To ensure transparency, Museveni announced that the State House Comptroller, Ms. Jane Barekye, would be responsible for certifying all boda boda SACCOs.
The First Lady congratulated her husband on his 81st birthday and used the occasion to call for national unity.
“Africa was blessed with abundant resources, but we have remained poor because we fight among ourselves. When we unite, we will be unstoppable,” Maama Janet said.
She also encouraged Ugandans to “serve what we produce” as a way of building wealth and promoting self-reliance.
Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Anita Among, congratulated the President, crediting him for creating a favorable environment for the boda boda industry.
She hailed him for turning Uganda into “the country everyone wants to live in.”
Boda boda leaders also used the platform to appreciate Museveni’s support, noting that patriotism training had equipped riders with the skills to manage their cooperatives effectively.
“Unlike in the past when SACCOs would collapse, we now employ accountants and lawyers to ensure proper management,” said United Riders Cooperative Union Chairperson, Mr. Frank Mawejje.
He, however, urged government to act against moneylenders who still seize riders’ National IDs.
Union Business Products Advisor Fred Ssenoga called for unity between boda boda and taxi operators, unveiling plans to establish “Union Villages” where members could own homes.
Ssenoga further appealed to government to reconsider the Shs700,000 digital number plate registration fee, describing it as unfair for riders to pay the same amount as luxury car owners.
Uganda Taxi Operators Federation (UTOF) Chairperson, Sekindi Rashid, asked the President to officially commission the new taxi park in Kampala.
He commended Museveni for bringing harmony to an industry that had long been divided by internal wrangles.
The birthday celebrations closed with renewed appeals for unity, discipline, and innovation across Uganda’s transport and entertainment industries.
Leaders pledged to build on the foundation set by the President in strengthening grassroots empowerment and protecting riders’ livelihoods.
