President Yoweri Musevenihas called for a speedy switch from Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) to electric vehicles to cope with the escalating global fuel prices . President Museveni once against argued against subsiding fuel and other commodity prices saying it would be suicidal for government to slash taxes in mitigation for the high cost of living .
While addressing the nation , Museveni said that as part of efforts to conserve the environment, it is high time the country, just like the entire world, gradually moves away from the use of fuel for vehicles to other alternatives like electric cars. The President acknowledged Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) for embracing the Kiira Motors Corporation (KMC) fully electric -Kayoola EVS buses that are transporting staff between Kampala and Entebbe .
“We should plan for electric cars. It is something we should go for. We made the Kira Motors Kayoola fully electric buses. Engineers have told me we need shs20 billion to manufacture more of these buses that have been transporting the staff of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). Instead of spending on subsiding mistakes, we would rather use it to get out of mistakes,” Museveni stated .
“Electric vehicles are cleaner; don’t have pollution, cheaper and less maintenance costs. This pressure to spend little money we have on problems, we would rather use it to get out of problems permanently. The long term solution is the electric car and trains,” the president noted .
Uganda’s automotive industry flagship -Kiira Motors Corporation (KMC and Prof. Sandy Stevens Tickodri -Togboa ,the Chairman of the Board of Directors , has taken the lead in producing electric vehicles -the Kayoola EVS buses the first of the kind in Uganda and the East Central Africa.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already asked Uganda’s ambassadors to promote and market Kiira Motors Corporation locally made vehicles in the regional ,continental and global vehicles markets estimated to hit 19 Trillion USDs.
The Permanent Secretary Ministry of Foreign Affairs , Mr. Vincent Bagire who recently led over 30 Uganda’s ambassadors to tour the Kiira Vehicle Plant in Jinja on said that one of the mandates of the Heads of Missions was to promote and market the country’s technology and industrial advancements to the rest of the world. Phase one of the kiira vehicle Plant which has been constructed by the UPDF under NEC is at 98% completion and has capacity to produce 22 buses a day and 5,000 a year . Some of the Kiira Motors products now on the market include the much famed Kayoola EVs – the fully electric buses and the Kayoola Diesel Coaches (KDC).
Do you want to buy a locally made durable bus (both electric and diesel ) please contact Kiira Motors Corporation at their home in Ntinda, Kampala Uganda.
