Boda Boda Rider Mawejje Declares Presidential Bid, Vows to “Liberate” Uganda in 2026

In a surprising move that has sent ripples through Uganda’s political landscape, Francis Mawejje, a 30-year-old boda boda rider and graduate of International Relations and Diplomacy from Cavendish University, has announced his intention to challenge President Yoweri Museveni in the 2026 presidential elections.

Mawejje, speaking to journalists on Monday, declared his mission to “liberate the country” and usher in a new era of leadership, citing the struggles of the “boda boda economy” as a key motivator.

“Everyone will agree with me that 80% of our economy is a boda boda economy, meaning that we live in a hand-to-mouth economy,” Mawejje stated, highlighting the precarious financial situation of many Ugandans. “People leave their homes when they don’t know whether they will earn anything. Six people share one shop but at the end of the month fail to raise rent.”

He painted a stark picture of the challenges faced by ordinary citizens, including the lack of government support for accident victims, the absence of insurance for boda boda riders, and the inability to save due to meager earnings.

“We live in a country where if one gets an accident, they will take months to recover and there will be no support from the government,” Mawejje said. “The boda boda economy we live in means that we don’t have any form of insurance, but also we can’t save since we earn little or nothing.”

Mawejje positioned himself as the representative of this “boda boda economy,” which he described as being trapped in a cycle of debt and stagnation. He emphasized the need for systemic change to ensure economic prosperity for all Ugandans.

“Ugandans don’t have medicine in government hospitals, while the police and army officers sleep in dilapidated structures, roads are in a poor state, while civil servants are paid peanuts, yet they contribute a lot to the country. This needs to change,” he asserted.

Seven-Point Program for Change

Mawejje unveiled a seven-point program outlining his vision for Uganda:

• Tackling Unemployment: Addressing the widespread joblessness that plagues the nation.
• Improving Health and Education: Enhancing the quality and accessibility of essential services.
• Rationalization of Government Agencies: Streamlining government operations for efficiency.
• Mandatory Insurance for Boda Boda Riders: Providing financial security for a vital sector.
• Improving Emergency Services: Enhancing ambulance services and equipping hospitals with necessary drugs.
• Improving Civil Servant Salaries: Recognizing the contributions of public sector workers.
• Constitutional Reforms: Including clipping presidential powers, allowing diaspora and inmate voting, and combating corruption.

“I want to ensure a mandatory insurance policy for all boda boda riders, improve emergency services in terms of ambulances and equip hospitals with all the necessary drugs, but also improve the salary for doctors,” Mawejje explained.

He also emphasized the need for constitutional reforms to limit presidential power, expand voting rights to the diaspora and inmates, and tackle corruption and mismanagement of government resources.

“Having suffered under the NRM regime for almost 40 years, this is the time to get liberated. I am Uganda’s liberator,” Mawejje concluded, signaling his determination to challenge the status quo. The young boda boda rider’s bold declaration has ignited discussions across the nation, with many Ugandans eager to see how his campaign unfolds in the lead-up to the 2026 elections.