The Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Thomas Tayebwa has unveiled the Kayoola EVS 2025, Uganda’s newest electric bus model, and officially handed over the first unit to the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) signalling a new chapter in the country’s green mobility revolution.
The ceremony, held at the closing of National Science Week 2025, was attended by Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation Dr. Monica Musenero and Kiira Motors Corporation (KMC) CEO Paul Isaac Musasizi.
Tayebwa commended the innovation as a powerful symbol of Uganda’s technological self-determination.
“It is time to believe in our own,” Tayebwa said, noting, “What we are importing from abroad is not even comparable. These are home-grown solutions, built by our own people, for our own needs.”
The Kayoola EVS 2025, manufactured by KMC, is a state-of-the-art electric bus designed for African urban environments. With a range of up to 350 kilometers, it boasts a 56-passenger capacity and modern features including Wi-Fi, HVAC, USB charging ports, ECAS, CCTV, and inclusive access for all passengers.
KMC CEO Paul Isaac Musasizi emphasized both the economic and environmental value of the vehicle.
“We are optimistic that the introduction of this new model will create significant opportunities not just for commuters, but also for transport entrepreneurs because the vehicle supports a more sustainable and profitable business model, thanks to its use of affordable energy,” he said.
He added, “Compared to fuel-powered vehicles, users save over 78% in energy costs and more than 46% in annual maintenance expenses. This electric bus is not only a smart mobility solution, but a smart economic one as well.”
The official handover of a Kayoola EVS 2025 unit to the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority signified a great achievement in integrating green technology into national infrastructure. The move highlights growing institutional trust in Uganda’s domestic innovations and a firm commitment to reducing carbon emissions while enhancing public service delivery.
The handover signified much more than a new fleet addition and symbolized institutional trust in local innovation and our readiness to embed clean technology in Uganda’s critical sectors.
The event was not just a celebration of a product launch; it was a declaration that Uganda is prepared to lead in high-tech industrialization and sustainability across Africa. The Kayoola EVS 2025 serves as a vivid testament that Uganda is not only consuming global technologies but producing transformative ones.
For the Global South, the unveiling echoed a broader narrative that Africa can be a generator of solutions not merely a recipient. The Kayoola EVS 2025 exemplifies a continent’s resolve to leapfrog into a cleaner, smarter, and more inclusive future.
“Let the Kayoola EVS 2025 be a living, breathing symbol of our journey — from a spark of an idea to a thriving market, from a bold vision to an undeniable reality,” Tayebwa declared.
The initiative is igniting under the visionary leadership of President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni whose deep commitment is to invest in science, technology and innovation to be core drivers of socio-economic transformation.
Government’s commitment to improve science, technology and innovation was recently reinforced in the 2025/26 national budget with allocation of Shs814.2 billion by the Finance Ministry. The funding is aimed at boosting industrialisation, job creation and the development of high-tech exports.
Among the notable investments is the operationalisation of the Kiira vehicle plant in Jinja, which now assembles both electric and diesel buses and has signed a letter of intent to export 3,700 electric buses to West Africa and is projected to create over 14,000 jobs both directly and indirectly. These efforts, alongside advancements in vaccine research, agro-industrial innovation, and digital technologies, affirm Uganda’s transition toward a knowledge-driven economy aligned with Vision 2040 and the Fourth National Development Plan (NDP IV).
