BY OKIDI PATRICK
Lira City , Uganda- June 13, 2026: Lira City authorities have temporarily suspended enforcement operations against unregistered boda-boda riders after protests paralysed business and traffic along the Lira–Soroti Road on Monday.
The decision was announced by City Mayor Sam Atul,RCC Egole Lawrence during an emergency meeting at the city council boardroom shortly after security agencies dispersed protesting riders who had blocked sections of the road around Uhuru Bar, Corner Bar and Angwetangwet.
The demonstrations, which lasted nearly three hours, were sparked by the arrest of a rider accused of failing to register under the city’s mandatory programme that requires operators to pay 35,000 Shillings.
Dialogue instead of force pronounced by leaders:
In a media briefing held at Lira City Boardroom on Monday evening, His Worship Mayor Sam Atul said enforcement had been halted to allow dialogue between city authorities and boda-boda riders. However, he clarified that registration would continue.
“We want to establish the root cause of the demonstrations. The registration is meant to ensure order and proper identification of operators,” Atul stated.
Officially, 5,181 riders have registered out of the targeted 8,000 operators.
RCC Egole ,North Kyoga Police PRO SP Jimmy Okema condemn protests.
Lira Resident City Commissioner Lawrence Emmy Egole condemned the protests as unlawful and disruptive. He said the compliance of over 5,000 riders showed majority support for the programme and warned that security would not tolerate actions that disrupt public order.
Mr. Emmy Egole revealed that investigations had been launched to identify organisers of the protest.
North Kyoga regional police spokesperson SP Patrick Jimmy Okema said 15 suspected ring leaders have so far been arrested and detained at Lira City CPS waiting for RSA advicw on preffered charges.
“Blocking roads is not the way to raise concerns. There are peaceful avenues apart from.protset,” Okema said, adding that investigations are ongoing.
15 HELD BY POLICE AS LIRA BODA,BODA RIDERS PROTEST REGISTRATION FEE. Photo TAYARI TEAM.
Meanwhile Police and the mighty UPDF were deployed to restore calm after protesters blocked the busy Lira–Soroti Road around Angwetangwet, Uhuru bar, Corner Bar,Lumumba among other areas. Security personnel used tear gas to disperse the crowds before reopening the road.
Eye witnesses said business in the affected areas came to a standstill for clkse to four hours as hundreds of riders demanded an end to what they called forceful enforcement.
By evening, normal business had resumed and movement within the city had returned to normal.
NB.” Police arrested 15 suspected ring leaders after UPDF and police used tear gas to disperse protesters. Lira City leaders say only registered riders at gazetted stages will operate once the exercise ends”
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