LIRA CITY, UGANDA – Commercial motorcycle riders in Lira City have announced a total shutdown of operations on Monday, protesting what they describe as violent and illegal tax enforcement by city authorities.
In a dramatic escalation of a weeks-long dispute over a 35,000 UGX levy, riders accused the Lira City administration of hiring "bouncers" and using law enforcement officers to confiscate motorcycles and assault operators. The strike declaration came after a video showing a rider, Tonny Ojok, being badly beaten and having his trousers torn off by uniformed bouncers went viral on social media.
"We cannot allow the illegal detention of our motorcycles to continue," declared Sam Kwenya, a boda boda rider in the city. "Starting on Monday, all boda boda in Lira City must not carry anybody. Stay at home because of the constant and continuous harassment by bouncers hired by Lira City and its law enforcement officers.
At the heart of the dispute is not just the tax itself, but how it is being collected. Riders claim that enforcement agents, some allegedly working for unnamed "boda boda leaders" from Lira City West and East divisions, are using excessive force to seize bikes from those who have not paid.
However, many operators say they are refusing to pay because the process lacks transparency.
"We are curious because the people collecting the money are not giving us genuine receipts," a rider told reporters. "They give us just some pieces of paper. If Lira City wants us to pay the tax, they should give us an official account number to pay to—not individuals."
Adding to the confusion, operators claim they do not recognize any current boda boda leadership in the city.
Steven Okullo, a spokesperson for the aggrieved riders, questioned the legality of the entire exercise.
"This operation is illegal because no assessment was carried out on us," Okullo said. "Now the price of fuel has gone up. And how can money collected by certain individuals ever benefit me?"
Another rider, Solomon Adinga, warned that the receipts being issued are outright fakes. "The receipt doesn't have many things: no serial number, no name of the person collecting the tax, no purpose, no official government stamp," Adinga said. "We caution all boda boda not to work on Monday. Those found working will be dealt with."
The strike call gained unstoppable momentum after a video emerged showing a brutal confrontation involving a rider named Tonny Ojok. According to witnesses, Ojok fought back as bouncers—allegedly hired by the city—attempted to seize his motorcycle.
"Ojok fought the bouncers, saying he would die before his motorcycle was taken," a fellow rider recounted. "But later he found himself naked after his trousers were torn."
The video specifically shows one bouncer wearing a white T-shirt with the number "23" on the back, who riders describe as "very arrogant and rude," further inflaming tensions.
Ojok has since filed a formal complaint against Lira City, accusing the bouncers and city authorities of assault. The video reportedly shows police officers watching the scene without intervening.
Efforts to obtain an official comment from Lira City leadership were unsuccessful by press time. However, unconfirmed reports from inside the city administration indicate a growing sense of panic following the viral video and the announced strike. It remains unclear whether the city will suspend enforcement or try to negotiate with the riders before Monday.
