The scene at the kijiwe cha bodaboda, or motorcycle taxes’ station, at Msewe, a neighbourhood within the Ubungo municipality in Dar es Salaam, was characterised by suspecting and withdrawal feelings among its members immediately after The Chanzo’s production team landed to talk to them about their expectations in the upcoming civic elections slated for November 27, 2024.

For weeks, our producer, Joseph Kiraty, has been communicating with the kijiwe’s chairperson, Hamis Saleh Juma, to arrange the discussion to learn about the drivers’ expectations in the approaching elections, as their operations are under the direct jurisdiction of the local government authorities. 

However, when the team arrived on November 1, 2024, it was as if communication had yet to be made.

Busy running after passengers, the drivers wanted to do nothing with The Chanzo’s team, forcing us to seek the assistance of our host, Mr Juma, who managed to convince his fellow riders to give us just one hour of their attention before we left them to proceed with their daily “hustles.” Luckily, they agreed, and between sixteen and twenty drivers, aged between 20 and 40, gathered for the discussion.

Common mwananchi

Under a scorching Friday morning sun, the moderator, Baruani Mshale, director of learning and strategy from Twaweza, a non-governmental organisation that promotes citizens’ participation in governance, kicked off the conversation by inviting participants to answer the question, Mwananchi wa kawaida ni nani, or Who exactly is a common citizen?

The phrase mwananchi wa kawaida, or a common citizen, is common in almost all conversations around public policy issues in Tanzania. The government, for example, regularly claims to do whatever it does in the interests of the common citizen. In contrast, others have pointed out that in many of those decisions, there tends to be less participation of common citizens. 

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During the discussion, all participants described themselves as common citizens before some volunteered to offer their understanding of the phrase.

“One major characteristic of a common citizen is that they’re not listened to,” one bodaboda theorised. “The second characteristic of a common citizen is that when they are wronged, it is perceived that they are the ones who wronged. And another characteristic is that common citizens are elected officials’ puppets.”

Trust in elections

On elections and voting, bodabodas differed in their trust and confidence in electoral systems and mechanisms. Oscar, for example, said he is still determining whether to go out and vote on November 27. He noted that electoral authorities usually announce candidates who got fewer votes as winners, robbing elections of actual winners.

“And even when the candidate you voted for wins, immediately after taking office, they ignore all the pledges that convinced you to vote for them, and they start serving their own selfish interests,” he added. 

Another bodaboda challenged the belief that authorities announce the wrong candidates as winners, questioning its possibility in an environment where voters cast secret ballots. Bwire Manyiri, another bodaboda driver, urged Oscar to show up and vote, reminding him that that is his fundamental right.

“He also needs not to worry because each participating political party in an election appoints its own agents to safeguard its interests in the voting and counting processes,” Manyiri added. “It’s our duty as citizens to show up and fulfil our rights to vote to get better leaders.”

But Oscar unyielded, noting that his colleagues’ statements were just theoretical and did not reflect reality. He said many people have lost trust in Tanzania’s electoral system, pointing to the reluctance of many people to register to vote on November 27, forcing authorities to send out officials to convince people to register.

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“Now, tell me, if it is my right to vote, why do I need any convincing?” Oscar asked. “Simple, because people don’t want to vote. And they don’t want to vote because voting doesn’t give them what they want [leaders they voted for and who serve their interests].”

Priorities

Bodabodas also shared priorities that they want the next leaders to work on. Top on the list is for police and local government officials to ensure the rule of law and established procedures when enforcing traffic laws and regulations.

One bodaboda, for example, pointed out that while on the roads, police treat them in manners that violate their human rights, hoping the next elected officials will stop such practices that threaten their safety and security.

“You stop at a traffic light, and someone shows up from nowhere, ununiformed, turn off the motorcycle, and takes the key,” one bodaboda cried. “[These people] don’t care about your safety and will tell you you broke the law.”

“They also don’t care about law enforcement,” he added. “Because if you arrest me for not wearing a helmet, and I give you Sh2,000, and you let me go, it leaves me with questions: what was the original purpose of arresting me? Is it law enforcement or bribery?” 

Bodabodas also want elected officials to prioritise waste collection in their streets and neighbourhoods. They note that authorities let garbage pile up in many areas for weeks before sending garbage trucks to collect it. They say this threatens public health and safety, something they wish elected officials would prioritise.

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They also mentioned infrastructure, urging elected officials to ensure proper urban planning and management. One big problem Bodabodas pointed out is the construction of roadways without considering wastewater management, which exposes residents to waterborne diseases and other health-related challenges.

Beyond elections

Mr Mshale asked bodabodas to think of mechanisms to hold their elected officials accountable after elections. One bodaboda mentioned the regular public meetings local government officials organise to speak with electorates.

But when asked how many bodabodas participated in the last public meeting, which they said occurred in September, only three out of sixteen raised their hands, indicating that many ignore such meetings.

Those not attending the meetings gave various reasons to justify their decisions. These included poor services elected officials provide the electorates immediately after being elected, prompting people to boycott the leaders’ meetings.

“It’s a wastage of time,” one bodaboda said. “It’s just politics, and nothing tangible comes out of the meetings. It doesn’t matter if you attend or not; the leaders will proceed to behave the way they want, which, in most cases, is against our interests.”

Stereotypes

During the discussion, many bodabodas seized the opportunity to dispel some stereotypes attached to them, including that they’re reckless and don’t care about traffic laws at the expense of their own safety and that of their passengers.

While they admitted that some of their colleagues behave in such a manner, bodabodas noted that it was unfair to paint all of them with the same broad brush as there are bodabodas who observe the laws and behave reasonably.

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“Some of us, when we come to work, know that we have left a family at home that depends on our support,” said one bodaboda during the discussion that lasted for about one hour. “We perceive [bodaboda] as our main job and depend on it to survive.”

Way forward

Bodabodas were almost unanimous on the need to stay informed about local and national affairs, believing that it is only through knowing what’s happening that you can actively influence them.

They also agreed that bodabodas should organise and participate in the local government elections not just as voters but also as candidates and influence changes from within to resolve some of the pertinent challenges they face regularly.

“There should also be a space where people can speak their minds freely,” one bodaboda suggested. “We’re afraid of being disappeared. Sometimes, you want to speak about an essential thing you want the government to work on, but you stop short of doing so for fear of disappearing.”

“The media is also fearful to give you space for fear of being shut down,” added the driver. “So, you have nowhere to go. We must be free to live in our country peacefully and express ourselves. Other things will follow from there.”

Matonyinga Makaro contributed to this story from Mwanza. Lukelo Francis edited it from Dar es Salaam.