“Due to the lockdown, most of these Bodaboda boys do not have a side income but also have a high a petite for women. You realize that during the current restriction on their movement many of them are finding a challenge to support their families,” Mr Opolot said.
By David Oduut
There was shock in Atutur Sub County in Kumi district after a boda boda rider reportedly locked up his home and fled leaving his two wives and children stranded without shelter and food.
The rider identified as Simon Omeja a resident of Kapokin village who operates at a stage in Atutur trading center is said to have bolted doors at his home on Wednesday and asked his women and children to leave before he also left to unknown destination.
His two women; Ms Amuria Jesca Florence has one child while the other Ms Adie Jennifer has three children. There are also three other children left by his first wife who fled recently after family disagreements.
The Kapokin village chairman Mr. Martin Opolot said the women and children are currently languishing in Atutur trading center without any help.
“I have raised the matter to the police family and child protection unit at Kumi central police station to help resolve this matter as these people are clearly suffering,” Mr. Opolot said.
The LC1 attributed the matter to the curfew which has restricted Bodaboda riders from earning income to support their families.
“Due to the lockdown, most of these Bodaboda boys do not have a side income but also have a high a petite for women. You realize that during the current restriction on their movement many of them are finding a challenge to support their families,” Mr Opolot said.
He appealed to government to also support Bodaboda riders and the juwakalis (other hand to mouth earners) in rural parts of the country with relief food to help feed their families during the ongoing curfew.
Jesca Florence Amuria one of the women when contacted by this blog said their husband started by accusing them of destroying his underwear. But she said that the underlying issue could be the difficulty he was facing in raising the money to feed the family.
Ms Amuria, a woman who crossed from another botched marriage said their husband has been relying on his motorcycle to buy family food.
“I think it is the curfew bearing down on him now because it is only that bajaj motorcycle that has been his source of income,” Ms Amuria narrated.
Meanwhile by press time the police in Atutur had managed to track down Mr. Omeja and they were set to hand him over to the family and child protection unit at Kumi central police station.
President Museveni while addressing the nation on Wednesday directed that no boda-bodas are to be seen on the roads after 2 p.m.
This came as an additional measure to restrict the movement of Bodaboda riders after government also recently restricted motorcycles to operate while only delivering cargo and not to carry passengers.
This has seen Bodaboda business especially in rural areas shrink due to limited or general lack of customers.
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