An engineer stands inside an electric bus at the Kiira Vehicle Plant in Jinja, eastern Uganda, on Monday. HAJARAH NALWADDA/XINHUA
KAMPALA — On the busy streets of Kampala, Uganda's capital, a quiet transformation is unfolding. Sleek, locally manufactured electric buses are becoming part of the city's daily rhythm, marking the country's accelerating drive toward greener and more sustainable urban transport.
Since their introduction, the green-and-gray 40-seater electric buses have quickly drawn growing public attention. Equipped with onboard WiFi, they allow passengers to share photos and videos of their journeys on social media in real time.
Uganda's journey into electric mobility dates back to 2016, when it unveiled Africa's first solar-powered electric bus, the Kayoola electric vehicle, a name loosely translated as "mass carrier".
At the heart of this transition is Kiira Motors Corporation, or KMC, and its subsidiary E-Bus Xpress Kiira Ltd, which are spearheading efforts to scale up electric mobility across the country.
