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Uganda’s life-threatening ‘boda boda’ commute

Reducing a commute from two hours to 15 minutes comes with its risks

Kampala’s notorious traffic jams can make a short commute take hours by car. Locals instead use motorcycle taxis - a much faster, but more dangerous option.

Every day, professor Shadat Ssemakula must jump between his offices across the city of Kampala, Uganda. But the city's narrow, potholed streets bring traffic to a standstill – by car, it can take as long as two hours to make the 7.1km journey from his home to the office.

The solution: motorbike taxis, known locally as boda bodas. This way, the same journey takes only 15 minutes. A typical journey costs around $2, yet boda bodas are used by many of the city's wealthiest residents to ensure they arrive at work on time.

It can be a risky commute, however, causing up to 20 serious injuries every day on Kampala's streets.

Music: Otim Alpha (Nyege Nyege Tapes). Additional graphics by Yinxue Liao.

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