KAMPALA, Uganda — In a bold move that has stirred conversation across the country, Francis Mawejje, a 30-year-old boda boda rider and graduate of international relations and diplomacy from Cavendish University, has announced his intention to contest for Uganda’s presidency in the 2026 general election.
Speaking to journalists on Monday, Mawejje declared his mission to “liberate the country” and bring a new era of leadership grounded in the realities of everyday Ugandans — particularly those he says live under what he terms the “boda boda economy.”
“Everyone will agree with me that 80% of our economy is a boda boda economy. We live hand to mouth. Six people share one shop and still fail to raise rent. People go to work not knowing whether they’ll earn anything that day,” he said.
Mawejje, who has firsthand experience with the informal transport sector, painted a vivid picture of an economy where lack of insurance, unstable income, and mounting debt are the norm for millions of Ugandans.
“When a rider gets into an accident, they take months to recover without any help from the government. We can’t save. We can’t plan,” he said.
A Platform for the People
At the heart of his campaign is a seven-point program that he promises will reshape Uganda’s future:
- Universal insurance for all boda boda riders
- Overhaul of emergency medical services and full hospital drug stock
- Better salaries for doctors and civil servants
- Reforms in education and health sectors
- Reduction and rationalization of bloated government agencies
- Constitutional reforms to reduce presidential powers and allow diaspora and inmate voting
- Tougher action on corruption and mismanagement of public funds
Mawejje emphasized that his campaign is not symbolic but a serious attempt to upend a status quo that he believes has “held Uganda hostage for nearly four decades.”
“Ugandans are tired. No medicine in hospitals, soldiers and police sleep in broken structures, roads are impassable, and civil servants are underpaid. It’s time for that to change,” he said. “I am Uganda’s liberator.”
A Unique Candidacy
Mawejje’s candidacy is already drawing comparisons to other grassroots political figures who have risen from the working class to national prominence.
His campaign is expected to resonate with millions of Ugandans struggling with unemployment, poor public services, and rising costs of living.
While many political analysts remain skeptical of his chances against the entrenched ruling party, others view his campaign as a symbol of growing frustration and political awakening among Uganda’s youth and working class.
If successful, Mawejje would become one of the youngest presidents in Uganda’s history — and a historic first for someone representing the informal economy.
As the 2026 race heats up, Francis Mawejje is betting that the voice of the boda boda economy is loud enough to be heard all the way to State House.
