Deaf man rides for five days from Tanga to Mbeya

As Tanzania commemorates the deaf week, which ends on Saturday, September 30, in Mbeya, Kuboja Lugira, 34, became the talking point after he rode 961 kilometres from Tanga to Mbeya to participate in the commemoration and motivate other people living with disabilities.

According to Lugira, he travelled for five days and made several stops to rest before he arrived in Mbeya. Despite being involved in a motorcycle accident, he still made it to Mbeya.

He left Tanga on September 24 and arrived in Mbeya on September 28, 2023.

“Riding is my hobby. Joining other riders in Tanga was part of living my hobby, but again, in the process, I found myself motivating other people living with disabilities in the country,” said Lugira.

He says being deaf and a cyclist involves a lot of attention when using the road to avoid accidents. He is always aware of the road safety rules to keep him safe, and most of the time he watches his back as he rides.

According to him, he is usually three metres away from the car in front of him and behind him; however, most of the drivers don’t pay attention to road rules.

“Such drivers put other road users at high risk. The accident I got in Morogoro was due to the motorcycle rider’s negligence. Thank God I was not badly injured, and I continued with my journey,” says Lugira.

He says his journey was supported by the Tanzania Deaf Association, which called for more supporters to support people with disabilities so they could achieve their dreams.

Lugura was not born deaf, but it all started in 2003 after using his mother’s medication, thinking they were just like sweets.

“My mother was on medication, and they looked like sweets. Without her permission, I used them. A few minutes later, my mother found me on the floor with foam on my mouth. They took me to the hospital. Unfortunately, after several treatments, I ended up being deaf,” adds Lugira.

Apart from being a cyclist, he is a chef who teaches people to cook through a WhatsApp group and charges Sh5,000 per session. He also makes home visits to teach them how to cook.

He graduated with his cooking certificate in 2010 from Amazon College in Dar es Salaam.

After his trip to Mbeya, he will join other cyclists in Tanzania, and they will ride for 1,500 kilometres from Dar es Salaam to Butiama to motivate people to check their health voluntarily and to donate blood.

The week brought together different stakeholders who champion rights for people living with disabilities to discuss challenges facing people with disabilities under the theme: A World where Deaf People Everywhere Can Sign Anywhere.

The week was initiated with the aim of promoting human rights for deaf people as well as giving opportunities to deaf people without any obstacles, including communication barriers.