KAMPALA: The first-ever Boda Union Festival and Expo is set to take place on Sunday, September 14, 2025, at Kololo Independence Grounds, with President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni expected as Chief Guest.
The event, which also coincides with the President’s birthday, is being billed as both a celebration of Uganda’s boda boda industry and a demonstration of riders’ continued support for Museveni ahead of the 2026 general elections.
Organizers say the festival will combine entertainment with empowerment. Top Ugandan musicians are lined up to perform, alongside dance competitions, DJ battles, and boda races.
Beyond the fanfare, motivational speakers and financial experts will guide riders on how to invest in and earn more from the boda boda business. Exhibitions and stalls will showcase opportunities for savings, cooperatives, and access to credit, areas many riders have long struggled with.
For the boda boda community, the event represents recognition of their contribution to Uganda’s economy. With hundreds of thousands of riders providing transport, delivery services, and jobs across the country, the festival is designed to highlight their role as a backbone of the urban workforce.
Politically, the timing of the festival has not gone unnoticed, as it comes just months before the 2026 elections. Analysts say the gathering is also a show of solidarity between the boda boda unions and President Museveni.
In Kampala and other major towns, boda riders are considered a key mobilization force during campaigns and elections. Their support can influence voter turnout, rally crowds, and amplify messages at the grassroots level.
Speaking ahead of the event, organizers emphasized that the festival is not just about celebration but about reaffirming loyalty to the President, who has consistently emphasized wealth creation and empowerment programs for ordinary Ugandans, including riders.
“This is our time to show that boda bodas are not just about transport but about transformation. We are standing with President Museveni as he continues to guide this country,” one of the union leaders said.
The Kololo event will therefore serve a dual purpose, as a cultural and entertainment festival for riders and their families, and as a strategic mobilization platform for the ruling NRM camp. With Museveni’s birthday celebration integrated into the program, the symbolism of unity between the boda boda sector and the President is expected to resonate strongly as the 2026 campaign season builds momentum.
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