26-November-2025
LCCTV NEWS
LIRA, UGANDA – A storm of discontent is brewing on the streets of Lira City, as hundreds of boda-boda riders grapple with what they describe as a cycle of exploitation and disrespect at the hands of Watu, a prominent asset-financing company.
Riders, who are the lifeblood of the city’s transport system, are speaking out against exorbitant loan rates, alleged mistreatment by company staff, and the punitive practice of remotely disabling motorcycles, which they say pushes them deeper into poverty.
The core of the grievance lies in the cost of the motorcycles. Riders report purchasing bikes through Watu at a staggering price of 9 million Ugandan shillings, a figure they argue is significantly inflated compared to the market value. Coupled with high-interest rates, this creates a financial burden that is nearly impossible to overcome.
“We are working like slaves for our own motorcycles,” one rider, who preferred anonymity for fear of retaliation, lamented. “After paying for fuel, repairs, and daily living, the daily loan repayment leaves almost nothing. You work the whole month only to find you have barely scratched the principal amount. It feels like a trap.”
Beyond the financial strain, riders accuse some Watu field staff in Lira of outright mistreatment. Complaints range from verbal abuse and intimidation to a more disturbing allegation of discrimination.
The most serious technical allegation involves the very devices used to immobilize the bikes. Multiple riders claim that Watu workers sometimes remove the tracking devices themselves and then blame the riders, accusing them of tampering—an act that leads to heavy fines or immediate repossession of the motorcycle. “How can we remove a device they monitor from their office?” one rider asked in frustration. “They create a problem and then punish us for it. It is unjust.”
However, for the boda-boda riders of Lira, these assurances ring hollow. They are now calling for urgent intervention from local leaders, the Uganda Revenue Authority (to scrutinize the bike valuations), and financial regulatory bodies.
The boda-boda industry is a critical sector for youth employment and urban mobility. The success of asset-financing companies should be measured not just by their profit margins, but by the economic empowerment of their clients. The current situation in Lira suggests a profound imbalance.
The riders are not asking for handouts; they are demanding fairness. They seek transparent pricing, reasonable interest rates, and, most fundamentally, to be treated with the dignity befitting hardworking entrepreneurs trying to earn an honest living. Until then, the wheels of progress in Lira risk being locked in place by the very system meant to drive them forward.
LCCTV NEWS
