Uganda: Boda boda rider breaks taboos

Female taxi driver breaks tradition - 2nd May 2022

27 year old Allen Kisakye Butundu is going against tradition. She's one of Uganda's first women 'boda boda' drivers, or motorbike taxi drivers.

Boda boda drivers are always men in Uganda, so learning how to drive them was a challenge. She used to receive negative comments when on her bike. "The community were shocked to see a female rider. Some people would even shout things at me and chase me," she says.

Her decision to start learning came about two years ago. She was a social worker at the time and saw the bike as a low-cost and convenient way to get about. However, her husband "refused completely" to give her driving lessons.

Butunda was determined to learn so she stopped boda boda drivers as they were travelling around. They taught her and in exchange she gave a little money or bought them petrol. Eventually, Butundu's husband changed his way of thinking, and he even put some money towards her first motorbike.

Last year, Butundu began working full-time for the SafeBoda company, which employs approximately 26,000 drivers. She likes the firm because drivers are trained and it places importance on safety. She earns up to £10 a day but Butundu continues to face problems with people's attitudes.

These days, she's growing in confidence, but when she started, she felt embarrassed. "I used to pack my helmet and trousers in a bag and change near my bike, which I parked away from the house," she explained. Butundu hopes her example will encourage other women in Uganda to become taxi drivers too.