Several commercial motorcycle riders, commonly known as bodaboda, have voiced frustration over the violent protests that erupted on October 29, 2025, saying the unrest left them in heavy debt and struggling to recover their livelihoods.
One of them, Mr. Issa Salala, a passenger transport operator in Dar es Salaam, shared how the chaos and riots severely affected his income, especially since he operates a motorbike on a contract basis.
“I was forced to stay indoors for more than five days because of the violence. Since the motorbike I use is not mine, the owner kept demanding payment even though I was not working,” Salala said.
“I had no savings at that time, so I fell into debt that I still haven’t managed to clear.”he added
Salala explained that the violent incidents disrupted not only their daily work but also the local economy.
Many small traders and service providers could not operate, resulting in shortages and skyrocketing prices for essential goods.
He cited examples of how prices had surged during and after the unrest. “A kilogram of flour that used to cost 1,500 shillings was sold for 4,000, and rice that cost 2,000 shillings per kilo went for more than 5,000,” he said.
Salala also criticized young people who took part in the demonstrations without considering the long-term consequences.
“It’s important for us youth to think ahead before acting. Those who joined the protests didn’t think about what would happen afterward,” he said.
“Today, everything is expensive, and during the unrest we couldn’t go out because of security restrictions. How do you get money in such a situation? We stayed indoors with nothing to eat I even lost weight because of the stress and hunger.”he added
He appealed to authorities and community leaders to promote peace and dialogue to prevent such disruptions in the future, saying that instability harms ordinary people the most especially informal workers who depend on daily earnings.
