TLP vows to formalise ‘bodaboda, bajaj’ transport
DAR ES SALAAM: TANZANIA Labour Party (TLP) presidential candidate Yustas Rwamugira, has pledged sweeping reforms to formalise the motorcycle and rickshaw transport sector, promising to integrate operators into the mainstream economy.
Speaking at a campaign rally at Kinondoni Grounds in Dar es Salaam yesterday, Rwamugira stressed that bodaboda and bajaji riders are far more than informal workers—they are central engines of Tanzania’s commerce, connecting people, goods and services across the country.
“I see them not as a nuisance but as entrepreneurs,” he said, his voice resonating with conviction. “They have been neglected for too long. It is time to recognise their contribution and provide the tools they need to succeed.”
Mr Rwamugira proposed creation of district and regional banks tailored specifically for transport operators. These institutions, he explained, would enable riders to manage their income efficiently, access credit and grow their businesses within a formal financial framework.
Complementing this initiative, he pledged universal health insurance for all riders, ensuring those who risk their lives daily on the roads have access to medical care, accident coverage and essential health benefits.
The TLP candidate framed the informal sector as a pillar of the economy, noting that empowering riders and other informal operators would have a multiplier effect on jobs and youth entrepreneurship.
“Our youth aren’t lazy. They’re surviving in a broken system. It’s time to stop punishing them for surviving and start building a system that allows them to thrive,” he said.
Employment, he promised, would be the top priority under his administration, with a focus on youth-led enterprise and practical skills development.
ALSO READ: Clerics urged to promote law, peace ahead of poll
In education, Rwamugira pledged to overhaul the national curricula from early childhood to university, placing greater emphasis on hands-on skills over theoretical knowledge.
“Young people need more than academic qualifications—they need skills that make them employable or capable of running their own businesses,” he argued.
Small businesses, particularly in the informal sector, would benefit from simplified and fair tax structures, he added. Under a TLP government, riders and other operators would no longer face harassment from authorities or navigate bureaucratic red tape.
Beyond transport, he outlined policies to ensure universal health care for all Tanzanians, guaranteeing that public hospital services would be free and accessible, from children to the elderly. Student loans, he added, would be repayable only after graduates secure employment.
The candidate also addressed vulnerable populations, pledging to establish learning camps for street youth in every region to provide basic education and life skills. For the elderly without family support, he promised regional residential facilities offering housing, food and medical care.
Infrastructure was another focus, Mr Rwamugira pledged to modernise the railway network, including the Central Railway and Tanga line, both of which he said were operating below capacity.
He emphasised inclusion and empowerment as the core of his vision. “This will be a government for the people who have been forgotten,” he said. “For the youth, the riders, the workers and the elderly—this will be your time.”
In Rwamugira’s Tanzania, no citizen would be overlooked and every worker—from the corner bodaboda rider to the graduate seeking employment—would have a role to play in building the nation’s future.
