Ethiopian capital bans motorcycles to fight crime

A ban on motorcycles came into force in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, to fight crime.

The mayor of the city said that criminals driving motorcycles often stole people.

Takele Uma said the companies would be exempted, but the delivery companies say they are affected – the bicycles seized by the authorities.

Motorcycles have become increasingly popular in Addis Ababa to avoid traffic jams, but are not as widespread as in many other African cities.

Similar bans have been held in other parts of Africa to stop theft and violent attacks.

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More than a week before the ban, a food delivery company, Deliver Addis, told customers that it was suspending its services after the seizure of motorcycles by the authorities.

On Monday, another food delivery service, ZMall, which supplies food to Pizza Hut, announced that they also were not taking any more orders because of the ban.

Motorcycles have been banned in some cities in Nigeria, the most populated of Africa, for nine years.

In Lagos, Port Harcourt and Abuja, commercial motorcycles are banned from entering city centers where they are considered a quick escape route for thieves, reports Nduka Orjinmo of the BBC.

In the northern city of Maiduguri, they were banned in 2011 to prevent attacks by the radical Islamist sect Boko Haram.

These bans have increased the burden on commuters facing heavy traffic that motorcycles were able to avoid, said our correspondent.

The state of Lagos has eased part of its ban, allowing carpool motorcycles to operate under strict regulations, he said.