Most of the unclaimed motorcycles were impounded by security during the enforcement operations of COVID-19 guidelines. Others were impounded on charges of obscuring number plates, and other different traffic offences committed on the roads.
The law allows the police to write to court to auction abandoned vehicles or motorcycles. More than 50 of the motorcycles are at the Central police station in Kampala, 40 are at Katwe police station and 30 are at Nateete police station while the rest are scattered at police stations across Kampala.
Owoyesigyire explains that they are currently working with Uganda Revenue Authority and the judiciary to come up with the official list of motorcycles being held by police, and those that will not be claimed within the next few months will be auctioned off.
“It has become a challenge to our stations, the motorcycles are growing in number every day, so the management has decided to work with URA to take details of these motorcycles, then after we shall work with the magistrate’s office, after six months, then we shall have no option but auction these motorcycles as the law indicates,” Owoyesigyire said.
He, however, explains that investigations have established that most of the unclaimed motorcycles are suspected to be stolen, the reason why riders don’t show up with proper documentation of ownership.
In order for the motorcycles to be released, owners must present documents of ownership, or pay fines in regard to the traffic offence committed on the road. However, the boda boda operators who spoke to URN say the fines are too high for them to pay and many of them have failed to claim their motorcycles.
Joseph Kabugo, a bodaboda operator in Kyebando, claims that the police have in the past impounded his motorcycle for very flimsy reasons. He says the fines are too high for him to pay and reclaim his motorcycle.
Henry Musinguzi, a boda boda operator who used to be based at City Square in Kampala, accuses the police of thuggery. He said his motorcycle had almost all the requirements, but it was still confiscated during the second lock-down at Wandegeya traffic, and until now he has failed to secure it back.
“Since my motorcycle was impounded I have on several times tried to secure it, but police keeps on adding different offences and requirements like renewed permit, license, insurance, and other things that amount to Shs 3 million which I can’t afford now, so it means I will lose my motorcycle,” he lamented.
But Sula Lubega the chairman of Rubaga Division boda bodas operators concurs with the police decision saying that there is no way a rider can fail to pay a fine of Shs 100,000 to claim his motorcycle once he is the genuine owner. Sula noted that it’s the right decision by the police to sell off these motorcycles to many unemployed Ugandans that need to work.
Recently Lawrence Niwabiine, the acting director of traffic police said boda boda cyclists were the biggest group that violated traffic and road safety regulations as well as the COVID-19 orders.