Uganda bets on public electric buses to ease Kampala congestion

Uganda has launched its first electric commuter bus service in Kampala, marking a significant milestone in the country’s push to modernise urban transport and reduce emissions through clean mobility solutions.

The service was officially unveiled by Works and Transport Minister Edward Katumba Wamala and represents the first operational route in a wider government strategy aimed at rolling out electric public transport across 14 cities by 2030.

The inaugural circuit runs between Ntinda and City Square via Kampala Road and forms part of a planned five-route network serving the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area. Operated by E-Bus Xpress, a subsidiary of Kiira Motors Corporation, the service begins with a fleet of eight electric buses operating at 15-minute intervals.

The system also introduces a fully cashless payment platform, reflecting broader efforts to digitise and streamline urban mobility services.

Kampala’s rollout follows a pilot programme launched in Jinja in late 2024 and places Uganda among a growing group of African countries — including Kenya, Rwanda and Ethiopia — investing in electric public transport systems.

According to Katumba Wamala, the initiative is intended to reduce dependence on imported fuel while helping stabilise transport costs through the use of domestically generated electricity.

“Every electric mile driven is capital saved from fuel imports,” he said during the launch, noting that more predictable fares could protect commuters from fluctuations in global oil prices.

Under the government’s long-term transport strategy, Uganda plans to deploy 1,500 electric buses across 14 urban centres by June 2030, supported by a network of 260 fast-charging stations. Officials say the charging infrastructure will be critical to expanding operations beyond Kampala.

Central to the programme are the locally manufactured Kayoola electric buses produced by Kiira Motors Corporation, which the government sees as a cornerstone of its industrialisation agenda and efforts to strengthen energy independence.

Authorities also view the project as an economic development opportunity expected to create jobs in vehicle maintenance, charging infrastructure, park-and-ride services and digital payments. A franchise-based operating model is additionally expected to help integrate informal transport operators into a more formalised transit system.

The rollout aligns with Uganda’s National Development Plan IV, which prioritises infrastructure investment and urban productivity as drivers of economic growth.

Officials argue that modernising public transport is essential to easing chronic congestion in Kampala, where rapid population growth has increasingly strained existing road infrastructure.

Beyond improving mobility, the electric bus system is expected to lower transport-related emissions, supporting both global decarbonisation goals and regional efforts to reduce reliance on fossil fuels.

With operations now underway in Kampala, focus is shifting to whether the system can scale successfully both commercially and operationally as Uganda tests the long-term viability of electric mass transit in one of Africa’s fastest-growing urban environments.