Dr. Monica Musenero, Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation, announced that Uganda’s Kiira Motors Vehicle Plant will commence electric vehicle production in November 2023.
KAMPALA, UGANDA | NOW THEN DIGITAL — Dr. Monica Musenero, Minister for Science, Technology, and Innovation, announced that Uganda’s Kiira Motors Vehicle Plant will commence electric vehicle production in November 2023.
The plant, an end-to-end vehicle manufacturing facility, will utilize steel products and internally produce most components, according to her statement in a recent plenary session.
Dr. Musenero explained that the plant has the potential to manufacture 20 buses daily, pending orders.
The assembly plant’s automated lines will be operational by November 2023, with a capacity of 20 buses per day, expandable to 22 with sufficient demand.
“This is an end-to-end vehicle manufacturing plant that may will bring in steel products and we frame and fabricate most of the parts. Our equipment is arriving for fixing the assembly plant, so the automated lines will be ready for launch in November 2023. The plant will be ready to switch on and the capacity is 20 buses per day. So, if we have orders, we can make 22 buses per day.”she told plenary last week.”
President Museveni, speaking at the Presidential CEO Forum’s 4th Bi-Annual CEO Retreat held at the Kiira Vehicle plant in Jinja, pledged Shs40 billion to support Kiira Motors Corporation in completing the plant setup.
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Additionally, he committed to procuring buses for government entities from the Corporation.
Dr. Musenero also highlighted Uganda’s advancements in the e-mobility sector. Notably, Uganda produced Africa’s inaugural electric vehicle in 2011, with President Museveni becoming one of the first head-of-state to ride in an electric vehicle.
The Kiira Vehicle Plant, which will be inaugurated this year, is now Africa’s largest electric bus production facility. The Minister expressed gratitude to President Museveni, the Ministry of Finance, and the Prime Minister for their unwavering support.
Furthermore, she mentioned specific milestones: the Kiira EV in 2011 as Africa’s first electric vehicle, the Kayoola Solar bus in 2016 as the continent’s debut solar-powered vehicle, and the Kayoola EVS in 2019 as Africa’s initial fully electric bus, all designed and constructed within Uganda.
“Your Excellency, two years ago, I invited you here and you came and laid a foundation stone for the facility and since then we have made very significant progress. I want to thank you and the Ministry of Finance who responded at that time and extended extra funding which has enabled us to push the work. I want to also thank the Prime Minister for the continuous support all the time,” said Dr Musenero.
“We made the first electric vehicle designed and built in Africa- the Kiira EV in 2011 is the first ever electric vehicle built in Africa. Your Excellency, the President became arguably the first-ever head of state recorded to be driven in an Electric vehicle. The first solar-powered designed and built in Africa is the Kayoola Solar bus in 2016 built here in Uganda. The first fully electric bus designed and built in Africa is the Kayoola EVS in 2019,” Musenero added.
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