MBALE, Uganda - Here in East Africa and across the continent, the humble single-speed wide-tire bicycle is a mark of independence and entrepreneurship.

The ubiquitous bike, called "Boda Boda," earned its name by supplying transportation between Uganda border towns and Kenya just a few miles to the east. In early days, they also would smuggle goods across the border; today they are a primary source of transport.

In a country where few can afford a car and gas sells for close to $6 per gallon, pedal power is both user- and environment-friendly, and the hilly terrain does not deter the operators.

"Just look at them pedal," said Jamil Serwanga, a dean at the Islamic University, as he points to a group of bikes carrying passengers up a long hill. "You never get off the bike. The driver always gets you to the top."

Obtaining services of a Boda Boda is quick and easy. The drivers, usually men in their 20s, stand at corners in the business district or pedal leisurely on nearby roads. Simply flag the driver.

Locals pay about 18 cents with higher charges for longer trips, mzungus, as Europeans and other visitors are called, pay 30 cents, more if they are not familiar with the price structure. Still, it is a bargain

"These men work very, very hard, and they earn very little," said Ahmed Wetaka, a popular radio personality in Mbale. "They must rent the bike, so each day they have to pay to the owner before they begin to earn any money to support themselves."

A new bike costs from $50 to $75, a huge investment in a country where most earn less than $2 a day.

"Some of the bike owners are very nice and will let people pay them monthly toward the purchase," said Hamid Kiyonga, who teaches at the Islamic University.

"There are also registration fees," Wetaka said. "It is very hard work, but they are willing to do it."

Wetaka spoke of an American Muslim leader from Baltimore, Md., who had recently visited Mbale.

"He told me that he would like to bring a group of (American) youths to visit Uganda so they could see how hard some people work to support themselves," Wetaka said. "It would be a good example for them."

Registered Boda Bodas are easy to spot; they carry a large, soft, vinyl-covered seat on the rear luggage carrier. It is trimmed with gold fringe. Women normally ride sidesaddle, with both legs on one side. It is not unusual to see a passenger carrying both children and packages as they ride.

The slow-moving bikes are easy to hold on to and fairly safe. The motorized version is neither, and in urban areas motorbikes, also called Boda Bodas, weaving through traffic are a major cause of injuries.

Bikes carry more than passengers. Kiyonga points to three bikes moving down a flat stretch of roadway. Each carries four large yellow plastic containers, filled with six gallons of water.

"The driver earns 100 shillings (about 6 cents) each to deliver them," Kiyonga said.

Most homes and businesses in Uganda do not have running water and residents, particularly in rural areas, carry water from pumps or rivers, often a mile or more, in the plastic carriers.

Before drinking, water must be boiled. Even hotels use water delivered by Boda Bodas to fill rooftop tanks with water for bathing and toilets.

"They just take the passenger seat off and they can carry all manner of things," said Dennis Magu, a university student.

It is not unusual to see bikes being pushed up hills piled high with goods from bamboo mats to heavy cases of bottled soft drinks, or huge quantities of bananas or other produce.

The bike is a symbol of independence and self-reliance in Uganda. It also speaks volumes of the work ethic of the drivers.

Most of the two-wheeled vehicles are imported from India, Wetaka said, and the heavy wear creates another group of entrepreneurs, the Boda Boda repairmen.

In a lot near the market in Mbale, a dozen men work fixing bikes, replacing worn tires and other parts with items imported from India and China.

"We fix," an older man named Hassan tells a visitor.

Hassan holds up a well-worn wrench and smiles. "We can fix all, we have parts," he adds, pointing to a box filled with shiny metal items.

Driving a Boda Boda is not easy.

On a recent day, a 29-year old man named Kalvin pedaled slowly, but steadily, up a long hill as he spoke to his passenger.

"For 15 years, I have been Boda man," Kalvin said, "I am very strong, but I do not know what I will do when I am old. This is not job old men do."

Cresting the long hill, Kalvin rests on his bicycle seat as the Boda begins to coast to the town center of Mbale; past the banks and post office, past other Boda drivers waiting for passengers, Kalvin steers carefully, avoiding potholes.

It was a rare time for him, a time he could just simply coast.

William "Bill" Recktenwald is a senior lecturer in journalism at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. He will report periodically for The Southern Illinoisan while on assignment in Uganda.