President Yoweri Museveni has directed government ministries and agencies to urgently mobilise financing, create a reliable market for locally made buses, and support battery manufacturing as Uganda intensifies efforts to transform its industrial sector.
The President issued the directives during a homecoming luncheon held in Kampala to celebrate the successful completion of the Pearl to Cape Expedition 2025 by Kiira Motors Corporation’s Kayoola E-Coach, which travelled from Uganda to South Africa and back.Museveni praised the Kiira Motors team for achieving what he described as a historic milestone, saying the journey proved that African countries have the capacity to develop, manufacture, and export their own technologies.
He instructed relevant government institutions to explore affordable financing options to expand local bus production and ensure manufacturers have the resources needed to increase output.The President also called for government support in developing local battery production, saying a strong electric vehicle industry requires domestic capacity to produce key components rather than relying heavily on imports.
Museveni said Uganda’s industrial future should be built on combining modern science and technology with the country’s traditional knowledge and productive systems that existed before colonial rule.He emphasized that government procurement should be used to promote local industries, create jobs, attract investment, and keep more resources within Uganda’s economy.The latest directives mark a renewed push to strengthen Kiira Motors and position Uganda as a regional hub for electric mobility, automotive manufacturing, and technological innovation.
