Boda boda

Boda boda are bicycle & motorcycle taxis commonly found in East Africa. While motorcycle taxis like boda bodas are present throughout Africa and beyond, the term boda boda is specific to East Africa. Their ubiquitous presence in East African cities is the result of a number of factors including an increasing demand for public transit, the ability to purchase motorcycles on credit, and an influx of cheap imports from Indian manufacturers like Bajaj. In the countries where they are present, boda boda can provide vital job opportunities for entrepreneurial young men who lack skills lifting their incomes and brightening their lives while at the same time resulting in an increase in road accidents and unnecessary deaths.

The term boda boda may come from the English words shouted by their drivers: "border, border". The word originated in Busia, Kenya where bicycle riders would ferry people from outlying areas in the county (formerly district) to the market in Busia town. Most times people would avoid using Matatus (which were and still are the common form of public transport) because they were expensive or very few were available. They would, however, also not agree with bicycle riders on a fare to Busia.

To cut cost, people would start walking toward Busia. Meanwhile bicycle riders (boda boda) would wait for the next customer. If they waited long without getting one they would start cycling towards Busia, and along the way they would meet people walking towards Busia. They would then shout "border, border". If they get an interested person they would then start bargaining for a fare. If they agreed, the bicycle rider would ferry the person to Busia. Otherwise they would continue and the process will repeat till the bicycle rider got a passenger.

Later bicycle 'boda boda' would graduate to motorcycle then spread to other parts of Kenya and East Africa.

Alternatively, a BBC journalist initially imagined its origin to be onomatopoeia.

A third theory is that the boda boda had an apocryphal ability to transport people across a border without a need to complete the paperwork using a motor vehicle would necessitate.

While there is no doubt boda boda are commonplace in East African cities like Kampala and Nairobi, estimates of their number vary.

Figures show a substantial increase (nearly 10,000%) of motorcycle imports to Tanzania in the three years from 2013 to 2015.

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