Hundreds of Boda boda riders on Tuesday afternoon stormed Kabale District headquarters demanding for relief food after several months in lockdown.
President Yoweri Museveni suspended all private cars and public transport, as he outlined new measures to address the Covid-19 pandemic in his address on the 31st of March 2020.
Museveni allowed Boda bodas and bicycles to only make deliveries. Since then, there source of income was badly affected.
While storming the District Headquarters, they said the Hunger situation was unbearable, and thus demanded for relief food.
Alex Kiiza, one of the riders from Kitumba Sub county said his wife had divorced him after failing to provide basic needs for his family.
“I would report weekly Shs 60,000 to the owner of the motorcycle, and the rest of the collected money would sustain my family but when Covid-19 came, the motorcycle was taken by my boss and I became unemployed. Now I can’t sustain even myself. My wife left me because I failed to raise money to take care of my family. Please help us with food if you can” Kiiza said.
Kiiza said he won’t be able to pay rent once lockdown is halted because the motorcycle was taken by his boss.
“Where will I get rent from? I’m not working, the motorcycle was taken away by my boss, and my wife is a way “Kiiza added.
Katwigi Elias said he would earn between Shs 30,000-Shs 40,000 but said he has failed to get clients who have deliveries to raise rent.
“People have no money to buy what to deliver. I work for the whole day but fail to raise even what to feed my family. We need relief food because our place of work was badly affected by the lockdown” Katwigi said.
Kabale District alone has received atleast 65 tonnes of maize flour from concerned Ugandans, specifically targeting vulnerable people that have been affected by the lockdown.
Ronald Kasheija, the District Security Officer talking to the angry riders said they are expecting a donation of maize flour before the end of this week, and it would benefit the riders.
“Now that we have you here, before the end this week we shall receive a donation from a generous Ugandan and we shall consider you” Kaheija said while giving the riders hope.
Patrick Besigye Keihwa, the Kabale District chairperson pledged Shs 500,000 to buy maize flour for Boda boda riders as a they district continues to receive relief food donations from people.
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