By Jurugo Emmanuel Ogasto
South Sudanese boda-boda (motorcycle taxi) riders living in the Nyumanzi Refugee Settlement have issued a desperate appeal to the Ugandan government following a sharp rise in fuel prices that has forced many out of business.
In an exclusive interview with No. 1 Citizen Newspaper, Peter Loku, a boda-boda rider in the settlement, described how the escalating cost of fuel is pushing operators deeper into poverty and uncertainty.
He revealed that at least 35% of boda-boda operators in the camp have already parked their motorcycles, unable to afford daily fuel expenses.
For many refugees, the boda-boda business has been the only dependable source of income, especially following recent reductions in humanitarian food assistance.
“We are suffering seriously,” Loku said.
Kosu Joel, a father of four who has operated a motorcycle taxi in the settlement for the past three years, said he can no longer afford even a single liter of petrol.
“Fuel prices have gone beyond what we can manage,” Joel explained. “Some days you work from morning to evening and cannot even recover the cost of the fuel used.”
James Opi shared similar concerns, noting that the crisis is ripple-effecting across the entire community, not just the transport sector.
“Boda-boda is the backbone of movement here,” Opi stated. “When we stop working, people cannot reach markets, health centers, or visit relatives. Life becomes more difficult for everyone.”
For Emmanuel Taban, the situation has become unbearable. He explained that since food rations were cut, many refugees turned to the boda-boda business as a survival strategy—a strategy that is now under severe threat.
“This is the only work we depend on,” Taban said. “When fuel prices rise like this, it means no income, no food, and no school fees for our children,” Emmanuel said.
The riders are urgently calling on the Ugandan government and humanitarian agencies to intervene.
Their appeals include requests for fuel subsidies, financial assistance, or alternative livelihood programs to help sustain their families.
Local leaders within Nyumanzi have acknowledged the growing hardship, warning that if no immediate action is taken, more families could sink into extreme vulnerability.
As the cost of living continues to rise, the voices of these riders reflect a broader struggle faced by refugees trying to rebuild their lives under increasingly difficult economic conditions.