Uganda’s push to modernise public transport is entering a new phase today as Kiira Motors Corporation deploys a fresh batch of locally developed electric buses on routes connecting Kira Municipality to key parts of the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area.
The new buses, operated by E-Bus Xpress Kiira Ltd (EBX), are due to be officially launched this morning at Kira Playground in Kira Municipality, with the event expected to be presided over by Kampala Metropolitan Affairs Minister Minsa Kabanda.
The deployment marks an expansion of the electric mass-transit service beyond its initial Kampala operations, bringing scheduled electric public transport closer to rapidly growing residential communities in Kira and surrounding areas.
EBX has announced that the newly deployed buses will begin commissioning and passenger services today, August 28, 2026, with the service offered free of charge from August 28 to September 6.
The routes announced for the new phase include:
- Kisaasi – Kyanja – Kungu
- Ntinda – Najjera – Nakwero
- Ntinda – Naalya – Namugongo – Seeta
The rollout is part of Kiira Motors’ broader ambition to establish electric mass transit as a significant component of Uganda’s urban transport system.
The company has previously said it plans to expand E-Bus Xpress operations across Uganda, with a long-term target of 1,500 electric buses across 14 cities. Government projections have also indicated that 300 electric buses could be operating in Kampala by June 2027.
A new option for Kira commuters
The Kira expansion comes at a particularly significant time for public transport in the metropolitan area, where authorities are simultaneously tightening enforcement against commuter taxis operating in dangerous mechanical condition.
The new buses are expected to provide commuters with a scheduled alternative to taxis and other informal modes of transport along the rapidly developing corridors linking Kira, Ntinda and Kampala.
Previous information released on the Kira rollout indicated that 15 Kayoola electric buses would be deployed, with five buses assigned to each of three routes. The buses are designed to offer scheduled services, air conditioning, onboard Wi-Fi, modern safety systems and cashless payments.
The latest route announcement, however, differs slightly from earlier published route descriptions, which included additional stops such as Kira, Kitukutwe, Kiwologoma, Kyaliwajjala and Sonde. The three corridors announced for today’s launch should therefore be treated as the current deployment routes.
From pilot project to mass transit
The expansion builds on E-Bus Xpress’ earlier launch in Kampala in May, when eight locally manufactured electric buses were initially deployed on the City Square–Ntinda corridor.
The Kayoola EVS buses are manufactured by state-owned Kiira Motors Corporation at its vehicle plant in Jinja.
The buses are fully electric and have been marketed as a cleaner alternative to conventional diesel-powered public transport. They also feature onboard Wi-Fi and cashless payment systems, reflecting Kiira Motors’ attempt to combine mass transportation with digital technology.
The government has positioned the electric-bus programme as part of a wider effort to address Kampala’s chronic congestion, pollution and inefficient public transport system.
According to the Uganda Media Centre, Kiira Motors is targeting a network of 1,500 electric buses supported by 260 fast-charging stations across 14 Ugandan cities, with the wider programme expected to transport millions of passengers daily.
Free rides expected to draw public interest
For commuters in Kira and neighbouring communities, the most immediate attraction will be the temporary fare waiver.
EBX says passengers will be able to ride the newly commissioned services without paying from August 28 through September 6.
The free-rides period gives the operator an opportunity to familiarise commuters with the new routes and service while allowing the public to experience the locally manufactured electric buses before normal fares are introduced.
The Kira launch therefore represents more than the addition of buses to Kampala’s roads. It is another test of whether Uganda’s locally developed electric-mobility technology can become a practical mass-transit solution for one of East Africa’s fastest-growing metropolitan areas.
Kiira Motors has already demonstrated its ambition to move beyond producing vehicles for demonstration purposes and into operating an actual urban transport network. The expansion into Kira is the latest step in that transition.
With the first passengers expected to board the new buses today, the Kira rollout puts Uganda’s electric-mobility ambitions directly on the streets—and into the daily commute of thousands of residents in the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area.
