You can now find the phrase ‘boda boda’ in your dictionary, following the its inclusion in the 9^th edition of the Oxford English dictionary.

Boda boda: a type of a motorcycle or bicycle with a space for a passenger or carrying goods; often used as a taxi; “boys of boda boda riding on Kampala’s streets,” the description on the Dictionary reads.

Boda boda is among the more than 900 latest words that producers of venerable Oxford English Dictionary have added to the 9th edition of the Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary.

Boda bodas are a popular mode of transport in east Africa. They are more common in Uganda but have gained popularity in Kenya in the recent past.

In the city, commuters often prefer to use them due their efficiency in maneuvering through the dreaded Nairobi traffic while in the rural areas, boda bodas come in handy when it comes to traversing areas that don’t have accessible roads.

The word boda boda is believed to have originated from bicycle riders in Kenya’s Busia town, which borders Uganda.

The riders would provide transport to villagers travelling to the market in Busia town.