Uganda’s automotive industry flagship , Kiira Motors Corporation (KMC) has hired a Kampala top law firm , Kyagaba & Otatiina Advocates, a member of Dentons – a global law firm to provide competitive edge legal services, on a retainer basis .
Kiira Motors which is now commercializing its green mobility technologies with some fine products including the Kayoola EVS -the fully electric buses built in Uganda and the first of the kind on the African continent- needed services of a reputable legal counsel to protect its legal interests in a largely very competitive automotive global market .
“Dentons law firm brings on board a wealth of experience in the automotive industry which it taps from its global network. Kiira Motors Corporation is excited to bring the firm on board especially now that the automotive industry in Uganda is emerging with potential to contribute towards economic and social transformation,” a joint statement released by the two parties stated.
The statement further revealed that Kiira Motors Corporation will leverage on the Dentons’ experience and utilise the firm’s global network to promote automotive technology transfer with global industry players and encourage multi-sectoral backward, forward and lateral linkages along the automotive industry value chain for sustainability and competitiveness.
Among the top legal brains at Dentons law firm, include counsel David Mpanga who is the Chairman and Senior Partner, Ms. Doris Akol, former Commissioner General of Uganda Revenue Authority (URA), a partner and taxation expert, John Musiime and Dennis Otatiina who is the Managing Partner.
Mr.Mpanga said that Kiira Motors will greatly benefit from Dentons’ experience and skills with a global network that is needed to grow Uganda’s nascent automotive industry . “ This is the best time for Kiira Motors as an industry captain to contribute to the country’s economic growth and Dentons shall be there to offer all the required legal counsel ,” he pledged .
The KMC CEO, Mr. Paul Isaac Musasizi, thanked Dentons for accepting to represent KMC on its revolutionary journey to manufacture vehicles in Uganda including fully electric ones . “ By signing a seasoned legal adviser with a global network, KMC has taken yet another bold step to show the world that it will not be held back as a champion of green mobility technologies in Africa,” Musasizi said.
The KMC -Dentons partnership comes at a time when Government of Uganda recognises the economic transformative opportunity in the upstream and downstream tiers of the domestic and regional Automotive Industry Value Chain.
In 2018, government approved a roadmap and allocated resources for the establishment of the Kiira Vehicle Plant on 100 Acres of land at the Jinja Industrial and Business Park. The Kiira Vehicle Plant Phase I is designed for production of up to 22 Vehicles (Buses & Trucks including pickups) a day and an estimated 5,000 vehicles a Year.
The construction of the Kiira Vehicle Plant which commenced in February 2019 and undertaken by the UPDF engineering brigade – through the National Enterprise Corporation (NEC) now stands at 60% as of September 2020.
Through technology transfer with China and utilizing production facilities at the Luwero Industries in Nakasongola, the Kayoola EVS, a premium zero-emissions City Bus with a range of 300km was developed and two units built and deployed on the road for market validation. The Kayoola EVS speaks to improved public transport, operational and fuel efficiency within our cities coupled with enhanced environmental stewardship.
The Kiira Vehicle Plant investment is expected to create over 14,000 job and catalyze investment by small and medium enterprises in the manufacture of vehicle parts, components and autonomy systems (Brake pads, seats, bolts and nuts, bumpers, vehicle electronics, navigation system, digital mobility solutions such as ticketing and cashless payments management, among others). It is also projected to increase demand for the utilization of Uganda’s natural resources such as steel from iron ore deposits; plastics from oil and gas, lithium ion batteries from graphite, lithium and cobalt deposits, vehicle upholstery and interior padding from cotton and leather, glass from silica and sand among others.
