Uganda is the latest country to join Uber’s growing African network with the launch today of the ride-hailing technology in Kampala, a city where motorcycle taxis are considered the fastest — but not safest — way to get around.
Kampalans can get free Uber rides today through Sunday, June 5 via the Uber app to celebrate Uber’s launch, CNBCAfrica reported.
Uganda has one of the world’s youngest populations, with 700,000 new people entering the workforce each year, World Bank reports, BiztechAfrica.
Uber’s business model allows drivers to be self employed, to pursue entrepreneurial aspirations and this makes it appealing to governments where unemployment is an issue.
However the disruptive technology in the taxi industry means Uber sparks conflict almost everywhere it goes. In Kenya and South Africa, Uber drivers and passengers have been harassed, and worse. But the biggest threat to Uber’s bottom line may not be angry drivers for traditional taxi cab companies, but motorcycles, IBTimes reported.
East Africa has seen a boom in Uber-style apps for motorcycle taxis, known as boda bodas, which are much cheaper than Uber rides and more convenient in African capitals like Kampala, where never-ending traffic jams are a fact of life.
The main problem with boda bodas is safety. Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest road fatality and motorcyclist death rate in the world, according to the World Health Organization. Boda-bodas are responsible for 75 percent of all trauma caused in road traffic collisions, a study showed at Mulago National Referral Hospital in Kampala, Uganda.
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Uber Launches In Uganda. What Now, Boda Boda?
Uganda is the latest country to join Uber’s growing African network with the launch today of the ride-hailing technology in Kampala, a city where motorcycle taxis are considered the fastest — but not safest — way to get around.
Kampalans can get free Uber rides today through Sunday, June 5 via the Uber app to celebrate Uber’s launch, CNBCAfrica reported.
Uganda has one of the world’s youngest populations, with 700,000 new people entering the workforce each year, World Bank reports, BiztechAfrica.
Uber’s business model allows drivers to be self employed, to pursue entrepreneurial aspirations and this makes it appealing to governments where unemployment is an issue.
However the disruptive technology in the taxi industry means Uber sparks conflict almost everywhere it goes. In Kenya and South Africa, Uber drivers and passengers have been harassed, and worse. But the biggest threat to Uber’s bottom line may not be angry drivers for traditional taxi cab companies, but motorcycles, IBTimes reported.
East Africa has seen a boom in Uber-style apps for motorcycle taxis, known as boda bodas, which are much cheaper than Uber rides and more convenient in African capitals like Kampala, where never-ending traffic jams are a fact of life.
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8 Nigerian foods the rest of the world should know about
Our mouths are watering just looking at these pictures.
1. Suya
Put simply, this is usually an assortment of skewered meat seasoned with a spice called Suya and then barbecued. We as Nigerian’s don’t do things in half measures as you can see from the image below
2. Jollof Rice
Jollof is eaten all over west Africa and actually derives from Senegal where it is called Wolof rice. Jollof rice is made with tomatoes, tomato paste, onions, salt, spices (such as nutmeg, ginger, pepper, and cumin) and chilli peppers, and is cooked in a stock. Mmmmm!
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Help for disabled children of immigrants
Immigrant rights organisation Passop (People Against Suffering Oppression and Poverty) has revived its Disabled Children Support Group, launched in 2012.
The group had stopped operating after the death of facilitator Eunice Kuneni in 2015. At the time the group included 18 South African children and 52 children of foreign nationals.
The new facilitator, Wilson Tarusarira, said there was a need for a special help for refugees and asylum seekers with with disabled children, who faced challenges in access to health, education, employment and documentation. Tarusarira is writing his master’s thesis in disability studies in the Health Sciences faculty at the University of Cape Town.
Zimbabwean Melody Kucherera, parent of a disabled child, said she battled with transport for her child to the Vista Nova school. Transport cost her R1,300 from a R3,000 salary, said Kucherera, who works as a domestic worker.
Tarusarira said if the association was able get funding from donors, this could be used to assist parents of disabled children to meet some of their challenges.
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Broken Home Affairs system leaves refugees stranded
The Home Affairs database system that manages refugee and asylum documentation has been down for almost two weeks across the country. Refugees have described their frustration with poor communication from officials, standing in long queues, and being blocked from doing anything that South African citizens use an identity document to access.
Moreover, the national department has failed to respond to GroundUp’s emails, telephone calls and text messages since last week. (See The worst spokesman in government?)
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