The year is 2007. In the halls of Makerere University in Kampala, a small group of engineering students, not much older than boys, dreamed a revolutionary dream. They saw past the imported cars jamming their city’s roads, past the dependence on foreign aid and foreign fuel. They saw a future designed and built by African hands.
That dream, once confined to a campus workshop, is now a powerful reality.
It is called the Kayoola E-Coach, Uganda’s flagship electric bus, and it is currently thundering a new electric drumbeat across the continent. Its mission: the "Africa Electric Expedition," a massive, history-making journey from Kampala to Cape Town.
Image by Kiira Motors
The Road of Proof: 5,000 Kilometres of Sovereignty
For decades, Africa has been told it is a market, not a manufacturer. A consumer, not a creator. The Kayoola E-Coach is tearing that narrative apart, kilometre by kilometre.
The 13-metre electric coach has already covered over 5,000 kilometres of challenging, diverse African terrain. It has passed through the plains of Uganda, the borders of Botswana, and into the heart of the Kingdom of Eswatini. Every kilometre it glides is a piece of evidence, demonstrating to the world, and crucially, to Africa itself that a zero-emission, world-class transport solution can be born and bred right here.
This is more than just an engineering feat; it is a declaration of technological sovereignty.
The Factory Floor: Where Dreams Become Steel
The true heart of this story isn't the road; it's the foundation being laid at home. In September 2025, the Kiira Vehicle Plant, the fruit of that student dream, was commissioned in Jinja. It now stands as the largest and most advanced bus manufacturing facility on the continent.
This plant is not just about making buses; it's about rebuilding an entire economy. Annually, Uganda spends roughly $800 million importing vehicles. By manufacturing locally, the Kiira Motors Corporation (KMC) is not just reducing emissions; it is repatriating wealth and redirecting it back into Ugandan communities.
The impact is measured not just in dollars but in dignity:
14,000+ New Jobs: KMC is projected to create over 14,000 jobs across its value chain, offering young Ugandans careers in design, engineering, and advanced manufacturing.
65% Local Content: The goal is to ensure 65% of the vehicle’s components are sourced locally by 2030, transforming local SMEs into essential partners in a global industry.
Collaboration, Not Competition
The success of the Kayoola is a testament to the power of African cooperation. As the bus made its stop in Eswatini, KMC cemented a partnership with MTN Eswatini. This collaboration ensures that every Kayoola vehicle will be equipped with integrated digital and connectivity solutions for intelligent fleet management.
This is the new African way: not waiting for outside solutions, but African giants collaborating to power regional growth.
As Jerry J. Soko, Acting CEO of MTN Eswatini, observed, "For long, Africa has been on the receiving part of technology. We see this expedition as proof that Africa is now leading the development of its own solutions.”
The Kayoola E-Coach is more than a vehicle; it is a traveling embassy for a new age of African confidence. It is a promise kept to the students who first dreamed it and a powerful message to every young African: The future is not imported; it is built right here.