By Isa Kato (Pictured above/Courtesy photo)
Dear Ugandans and fellow Quarantined Citizens!
Allow me to express my worry about the rate at which the plight of a Common Person continues to be absent in the thoughts of our Leaders and Policy Makers.
We thank the almighty God who is continuing to expose the hearts of men; both in Political and bureaucratic offices. My displeasure however is with the Technical Persons and Political Advisors to the President.
It is unbelievable to all quarantined Ugandans both urban and rural dwellers that among the most URGENT Services to be released from the quarantine the boda-boda Riding Enterprise could not be included among the essential public transportation.
H.E the President announced services and sectors of the economy that were to resume operations on June 4th and the boda-boda were left out, in fact referred to as a business for the rich, contrary to the reality.
Whoever advised the President on this must be an enemy of both Uganda and the NRM Government.
While the rich look at the boda-boda in the urban areas as source of road inconveniences, the majority youthful low-income earners have it as an Enterprise.
There are about 6m million people whose livelihood is dependant on boda-boda, millions of non-owners of transport means who conveniently depend on boda-boda as quick emergency means, ambulance and to the low urban salary earners a daily cash cow.
The significance of the boda-boda Enterprise to the economy can also well be traced in the commercial banks and micro finance service providers.
By the recent Presidential Speech therefore we see the Poor Young People in this sector rejected by the NRM government and the President. We see the poor families that cannot afford owning a car or hiring emergency private car services left vulnerable.
We see low salary earners lose side business. We see an unplanned urban to rural Exodus which may cause insecurity.
Lastly we see an NRM government that is detached from the reality of a common man’s plight; only in comfort with the rich and strong.
On behalf of the majority Vulnerable Poor, I appeal to the President and the National COVID 19 taskforce to review the matter of the boda-boda transport as essential because the outcome may be socially, economically and politically counterproductive.
We request that boda-bodas are back to work as soon as of yesterday but in respect and adherence to the COVID 19 Preventive Guidelines.
We would like to have the boda-boda Leaders and Friends of boda-boda involved in putting in place agreeable Regulatory and Control Measures for the sector to be in Operation URGENTLY.
For God and my Country.
Isa Kato
FRIENDS OF THE COMMON PEOPLE
