By Mike Rwothomio

A sharp spike in motorcycle thefts has hit the boda boda sector hard in Zombo District, with leaders reporting 25 registered motorcycles "taken off the road" in just the past three months.

The Zombo District Boda Boda Association has described the wave of incidents as one of the heaviest roadblocks facing its members, severely disrupting livelihoods in this key transport sector.

Godfrey Monday Wabinenu, the overall stage manager for the association addressed journalists in Paidha Town Council over the weekend, highlighting the scale of the losses.

“We have lost 25 motorcycles, with cases recorded across different parts of the district and from various boda boda stages,” Wabinenu stated.

He noted that the trend accelerated recently, with four additional motorcycles reported stolen from various stages in the past week alone.

Among the affected machines are high-profile losses, including registration number UFG928D belonging to association treasurer Stephen Onega, as well as bikes owned by riders James Okethwengu, Canwat Stephen, and numerous others.

The thefts, which began in December 2025 and persisted through February 2026, have inflicted major financial damage on riders, many of whom acquired their motorcycles through loans or by liquidating personal assets.

Leaders believe the stolen bikes are rarely kept intact; instead, organized criminal networks "dismantle" them for spare parts.

Criminals reportedly pose as customers to lure riders to isolated locations, where they employ force, often using iron bars, machetes, or even chloroform to seize the motorcycles.

Fred Onenarach, Chairman of the Zombo District Boda Boda Association, that comprises over 3000 members, expressed broader concern.

“This affects only boda boda riders for now, but we believe many community motorcycles may be facing the same fate.” 

Onenarach announced plans for joint crackdown operations with security agencies to dismantle the criminal networks.

The association has launched its own initiative to target unregistered motorcycles operating in the district, pledging to report any suspicious or unregistered bikes directly to police for swift investigation and action.

The association leaders Wabinenu and Onenarach, called for stronger collaboration among security forces and the boda boda fraternity across the West Nile, Acholi, and Lango sub-regions, as well as Mahagi territory in Ituri Province, Democratic Republic of Congo, to pursue and apprehend the serial offenders.

Local leaders urged affected riders to report incidents immediately and cooperate fully with authorities to curb the ongoing wave of thefts.

As of this report, no arrests have been publicly confirmed in connection with the Zombo cases.The Zombo surge aligns with a national uptick in motorcycle-related crimes.

According to the Uganda Police Force's Annual Crime Report 2024, authorities recorded 6,311 cases of motorcycle theft nationwide in 2024, a 4.1% increase from 6,065 cases in 2023. Of the 11,214 motorcycles reported stolen that year, only 2,355 were recovered, 1,527 were found abandoned, and 7,332 remained unaccounted for, highlighting persistent challenges in recovery and prevention across Uganda's roads.

Leadership general stage Manager Wabinenu Monday and Fred Onenarach Association chairperson adressing Journalists in their offices in Paidha town council.

Mike Rwothomio is news editor at zoomer Africa your number one grassroot information hub