Ibanda Drivers Face a Breaking Point as Petrol Reaches Shs6,950

Some motorcycle-taxi riders in Uganda’s Ibanda District say they may have to abandon their work because fuel is taking too much of their daily earnings. Passengers are resisting higher fares, leaving riders with little room to recover their costs. Taxi drivers face the same squeeze: charge more and risk passengers refusing, or keep fares unchanged and struggle to make the business pay, according to Nile Post Uganda (direct).

At the Shell station in Ibanda, petrol was selling for about 6,950 Ugandan shillings a litre and diesel for 7,150 shillings as of Tuesday evening, the outlet reported. Those prices are the immediate pressure point for operators whose earnings have largely failed to keep pace. For bodaboda riders—the motorcycle-taxi operators who carry passengers—the growing fuel bill leaves a smaller share of each day’s takings as profit.

One rider told the outlet that buying fuel now required more money, while passengers remained unwilling to pay more for their journeys. He warned that another increase could make the work unprofitable and force him out. Taxi drivers described a similar choice between raising fares and taking their vehicles off the road. One driver’s warning captured the challenge:

A taxi driver told Nile Post Uganda that keeping fares unchanged as fuel costs rise could leave operators with no sustainable option but to park their vehicles.

Higher pump prices meet a weaker shilling

The latest local prices follow a broader increase in fuel costs during 2026. Nile Post Uganda reported petrol prices of about 5,130 shillings a litre in February, 5,940 in May and 6,499 in June, before reaching about 6,950 in October. That progression has left operators confronting successive increases in a major expense, rather than a single jump they can absorb while waiting for fares to catch up.

The report linked the pressure to a weaker Ugandan shilling and higher international oil, freight and insurance costs. A falling shilling can make imported petroleum more expensive because more local currency is needed to cover dollar costs. The outlet also pointed to the conflict involving Iran, which has disrupted global oil supplies and raised concerns about shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, an important route for Gulf energy exports.

A local squeeze with wider consequences

Operators are asking the government to explore ways to stabilise fuel prices. Their appeal comes alongside pressure in Parliament. On October 6, 2026, opposition leader Joel Ssenyonyi called for government action over the shilling’s depreciation and rising pump prices. He questioned the government’s response and said the increases were placing a heavy burden on Ugandans.

The stakes extend beyond drivers’ earnings. Higher transport costs can reach passengers through fare increases and consumers through more expensive goods and services, as businesses try to recover delivery and other transport expenses. For now, the next test in Ibanda is whether operators can secure higher fares that passengers will accept, or whether continued fuel increases push some riders and taxi drivers to stop operating.