Exploring Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices in Change Management and Service Delivery: A Case Study of the Boda Boda Industry in Kampala, Uganda
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47941/jbsm.3130Keywords:
Boda Boda Industry, Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices, Change Management, Service Delivery, Urban TransportAbstract
Purpose: This study explores the Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (KAP) of Boda Boda riders within the framework of ongoing reform and change management, employing insights from ADKAR and Kotter’s 8-Step Change Model to evaluate their readiness and barriers to behavioural change.
Methodology: A mixed-methods, cross-sectional design was used, combining structured questionnaires (n = 475) with key informant interviews from stakeholders such as the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), Ministry of Works and Transport (MoWT), and Boda Boda associations. Quantitative data were analysed using SPSS (version 20), employing descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and bivariate regression. Qualitative data were thematically coded using Atlas.ti (version 8). Methodological rigour was maintained through triangulation, with high reliability (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.903) and content validity (CVI = 0.970) of the instruments.
Findings: Findings reveal that riders possess moderate knowledge (M = 3.021) and show openness to reform, yet actual safety and service delivery practices remain inconsistent. Helmet usage (M = 2.80), adherence to traffic laws (M = 2.83), and digital platform engagement are notably weak. KAP was found to be a weak but statistically significant predictor of service delivery outcomes (r = 0.364, p < .001; Adjusted R² = 0.130). Qualitative data highlighted institutional mistrust, financial constraints, and resistance to safety gear as persistent barriers.
Unique Contribution to Theory, Policy and Practice: The study concludes that closing the knowledge-practice gap requires more than just awareness. Change must be supported through participatory governance, behavioural nudges, and context-sensitive regulation. Future interventions should institutionalize peer-led mentorship, digital literacy programmes, and culturally responsive safety innovations. Further research is recommended to explore gendered KAP dynamics, longitudinal impacts of digital tools, and the role of informal associations in enabling sustainable reform.
Downloads
References
Abiola, T., & Oyetola, A. (2020). Public perception of licensing and traffic compliance in Nigeria’s transport sector. Journal of Urban Mobility, 12(3), 44–59.
Afolabi, O., Adegbite, A., & Ojo, S. (2021). Enforcement and compliance: Analyzing road safety behavior among motorcycle riders in Lagos. African Transport Review, 8(1), 61–79. https://journals.sfu.ca/atr/index.php/atr/article/view/103
Ajzen, I. (1991). The theory of planned behaviour. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50(2), 179–211. https://doi.org/10.1016/0749-5978(91)90020-T
Bachani, A. M., et al. (2017). Helmets for motorcyclists in Kenya: An observational study. Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 95(4), 254–259. https://doi.org/10.2471/BLT.16.182477
Behrens, R., McCormick, D., & Mfinanga, D. (2016). Paratransit in African cities: Operations, regulation and reform. Routledge. https://www.routledge.com/Paratransit-in-African-Cities-Operations-Regulation-and-Reform/Behrens-McCormick-Mfinanga/p/book/9781138854015
EOI Boda. (2022). SafeBoda compliance and operational audit report.
Gwilliam, K. (2008). Bus transport: Is there a regulatory cycle? Transport Reviews, 28(4), 439–457. https://doi.org/10.1080/01441640701717176
Hiatt, J. (2006). ADKAR: A model for change in business, government, and our community. Prosci Learning Center. https://www.prosci.com/resources/articles/adkar-model
Hope, E., & Okyere, A. (2021). Resistance to transport reforms: A study of informal operators in Accra. Ghana Journal of Development Studies, 18(2), 98–115.
Kotter, J. P. (1996). Leading change. Harvard Business Press. https://store.hbr.org/product/leading-change/9780875847474
Kampala Capital City Authority. (2022). Urban mobility strategic framework and regulatory reports. Kampala Capital City Authority. https://www.kcca.go.ug
Launiala, A. (2009). How much can a KAP survey tell us about people’s knowledge, attitudes and practices? Some observations from medical anthropology research on malaria in pregnancy in Malawi. Anthropology Matters, 11(1). https://www.anthropologymatters.com/index.php/anth_matters/article/view/31/53
Luwemba, J. (2017). The role of informal transport in urban livelihoods: A study of Boda Boda riders in Kampala [Master’s thesis, Makerere University]. Makerere University Institutional Repository. http://makir.mak.ac.ug/handle/10570/6333
Martin, J., Namaganda, S., & Tumushabe, G. (2023). Digital transport solutions and urban inclusion: A case of SafeBoda in Uganda. ICTD Working Paper Series, 178. https://www.ictd.ac/publication/digital-transport-safe-boda-uganda/
Mukwaya, P., Sengendo, H., & Banage, I. (2022). Urban governance and mobility in Kampala: Institutional coordination challenges. Urban Studies, 59(4), 721–740. https://doi.org/10.1177/00420980211043678
Natebela, G. (2022). An investigation into rider safety compliance in Uganda’s urban motorcycle sector. Uganda Transport Journal, 6(1), 33–49.
Nthoki, M. (2024). Participatory regulation in informal transport: Lessons from Nairobi. African Urban Policy Review, 10(1), 22–40.
Ochieng, J., Wamalwa, R., & Nyongesa, B. (2019). Assessing the reliability of self-reported road safety behavior in Kenya. East African Transport Research Forum, 5(2), 71–86.
Ouma, P. (2021). Regulatory enforcement and rider perceptions in Kenya’s urban motorcycle transport. African Journal of Urban Mobility, 3(1), 11–30.
Private Sector Foundation Uganda. (2023). Formalization readiness study among urban informal workers. https://www.psfuganda.org
Rusetuka, D. (2025). Behavioral inconsistency and risk among motorcycle riders in Kampala.
Sufiyan, M., & Ahmad, M. (2016). Helmet use and road safety perception among commercial riders in Nigeria. International Journal of Public Safety, 4(3), 51–62.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Emmanuel Lwanga Kayongo, Dr Benson B. Okech
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) 4.0 License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
