Motorcycles: The "Semi-Trucks" of Uganda

Published by Ervin Malcuit in Uganda Life · Wednesday 09 Oct 2024 · 1:45
Tags: motorcycles, uganda, boda, boda, boda

Nuke, a friend of mine from Uganda, shared this video with me. It reminded me of some of the times I saw the various uses of a motorcycle when I visited him in Uganda in 2022.

The motorcycle, specifically the Baha brand, is the semi-truck and railroad of Uganda. From being used to carry up to 4 (perhaps more?) passengers at once, to transporting a huge bundle of groceries (5+ft above the bike), to transporting agricultural goods, these motorcycles are used to do many things and carry many loads that would be very nontraditional, if not illegal, in western culture. If you need a motorcycle as a taxi, it is called a Boda or Boda-Boda.

When in Uganda, I saw someone transporting three VERY large propane tanks, and another one transporting a front-gate system for a home. The front-gate system looked to be approximately 8ft X 6ft and the drivers was somehow straddled in the middle of the gate as it lay flat while riding. Needless to say, if he got into an accident, the results could have been life-changing.

In Uganda, almost everyone hand-washes and hang-dries clothing. I do not believe clothes-dryers are common-place in Uganda, even in the more wealthy areas because of the lack of electricity only being in main town areas, cost, and being able to dry clothes in the sun for free. However I visited one mall in Entebbee before I left Uganda, and I did see a clothes washer for sale. I have no doubt that if that was purchased, someone would try to deliver it on a motorcycle! These hard-working, people are determined to do what needs to be done!