KCCA ENGINEERS TOUR KIRA MOTORS PLANT

Engineers and Road Safety Experts from Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) on Friday toured the Kiira Motors manufacturing plant in Jinja, expressing optimism that Kampala’s long-awaited shift to a more reliable, safer and people-centered public transport system is taking shape.

The visit by officials from KCCA to Kiira Motors Corporation focused on understanding how locally built buses are manufactured, tested and prepared for deployment as the city moves to improve daily commuting for thousands of residents.

The tour comes as Kiira Motors rolls out its first batch of eight electric buses in Kampala, marking an early phase in efforts to ease congestion, improve travel reliability and introduce cleaner mobility options for city dwellers who rely heavily on public transport.

For many Kampala commuters, daily travel remains a struggle marked by traffic jams, overcrowding and unpredictable fares. KCCA officials said the ongoing reforms aim to change that reality through a structured, data-driven and commuter-focused bus system.

Eng. Jacob Byamukama from KCCA said the visit gave the team a clearer picture of how local manufacturing can support the city’s transport transformation.

“We wanted to see how buses are made, how long they take and how we are going to support e-buses in Kampala,” Byamukama said.

He said KCCA is prioritizing a system that works for ordinary city residents, with reliable schedules, safer journeys and improved efficiency.

Inside the 100-acre Kiira Motors facility, KCCA engineers were taken through the full production line , from chassis fabrication and body building to painting and final vehicle testing, giving them a closer look at how both electric and diesel buses are developed locally.

Officials also assessed the company’s capacity to produce 18-metre buses intended for high-capacity routes under Kampala’s planned Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, which is expected to significantly reduce congestion and cut travel times for commuters.

Eng. Richard Madanda, Kiira Motors’ head of production, said the company is ready to support Kampala’s mobility goals.

“We can have the mechanics trained, and we also believe in data,” he said. “We have the capacity to do 18-metre buses.”

KCCA said the visit reinforced its commitment to building a transport system that puts people first focusing not only on buses, but also on training mechanics, strengthening maintenance systems and developing infrastructure such as bus depots to ensure long-term reliability.

The authority said working with local manufacturers like Kiira Motors is key to creating a transport system that is affordable, sustainable and responsive to the needs of Kampala residents.

Kiira Motors is currently producing both electric and diesel buses as part of its expansion strategy, with eight electric buses already deployed in Kampala under the first phase rollout. 

The company plans to deploy at least 100 buses in Kampala by the end of the year, including routes along the Entebbe corridor.

KCCA officials said the progress reflects a shared ambition to ease the daily burden of commuting and give Kampala residents a transport system they can depend on.

The manufacturer also confirmed readiness to supply a new team bus for KCCA FC as part of ongoing cooperation with the city authority.

Vincent Muhumuza, a quality assurance engineer at Kiira Motors, said safety and quality remain central as production expands to meet growing demand.

By Geofrey Mutegeki Araali
Communication and Media Relations Officer