GLOBAL GREEN GROWTH INSTITUTE HAILS KIIRA MOTORS FOR OFFERING LOCALLY MADE GREEN MOBILITY SOLUTIONS FOR CITIES AND URBAN CENTERS

 

BY MOSES SSERWANGA

As Kiira Vehicles plant under construction by the UPDF engineering brigade gets to the 55% completion mark, Ms. Dagmar Zwebe -the Country Representative of   Global Green Growth Institute , (GGGI) has pledged to support  Kiira Motors  Corporation (KMC)’s  efforts to partner with global industry leaders to champion green mobility technologies in Uganda and Africa.

Accompanied by Dr. Muwanguzi JB Abraham, from the National Planning Authority (NPA), Ms. Zwebe , while on a visit at the   Kiira Vehicles Plant site in Jinja, was happy to note the “great strides” Kiira Motors has made to offer home made green mobility solutions for public transport in cities and urban  centers in Uganda , the East African region and the African continent .

She said that as GGGI moves to link KMC with possible international partners involved in electric vehicles manufacturing  and funding , it was imperative for the government of Uganda to fast track the development and implementation of a robust Automotive Industry Development Policy . “ We need an enabling policy environment to develop Uganda’s nascent automotive industry ,’ she stressed.

Already , Global Green Growth Institute  is supporting the government of Uganda to pursue green economic growth and to mainstream green growth principles. GGGI received a grant of USD 5,532,1791 from the European Union to implement a 36 months project aimed at greening Uganda’s urbanization and industrialization as part of the European Union’s Inclusive Green Economy Uptake Programme (GreenUP) financed under the 11th European Development Fund (EDF).

At the Kiira vehciles Plant site , Ms. Zwebe was received by a team of senior  technocrats from the Ministry of Science Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) led by the Director Technopreneurship, Mr. Basil Ajer. Others present were Mr. Arthur M. Makara Commissioner ST&I Advancement and Outreach , Mr. Paul Okitoi, Commissioner , Policy and Planning , Mr. Morris Ochen , Assistant Commissioner Technology Uptake , Commercialisation and Enterprise Development, Mr. Jaspher Okello ,Principal Science Officer , ST&I Skills Development , Ms. Beatrice Nakayiki , Economist and the Kiira Motors CEO, Mr. Paul Isaac Musasizi.  The MOSTI team also conducted an -on-the -spot tour of the plant site to update themselves on the progress of the construction works .

Mr. Ajer said that MOSTI is facilitating local content participation across the automotive value chain by skilling Ugandans and supporting Ugandan innovators especially the youth .  He thanked the National Enterprise  Corporation (NEC) and the UPDF engineering brigade for the good quality construction works exhibited at the vehicles plant which will be one of the biggest in Africa.   

Mr. Musasizi told the visitors that that the immediate need for buses in Uganda can be addressed by KMC working with Luweero Industries Limited to produce eight (8) buses per month with a single shift operation before the operationalization of the Kiira Vehicle Plant in Jinja.

Cabinet has since directed KCCA to procure the Eco Buses from Kiira Motors Corporation as a condition for approving the Loan from African Development Bank.

He said that the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation commissioned a Multi-Sectoral Taskforce comprising members from the Ministries of Science Technology and Innovation; Works and Transport;  Trade Industry and Cooperatives; and Finance Planning and Economic Development.

“The Taskforce has drafted the Regulatory Impact Assessment of the Automotive Industry in Uganda and the Automotive Industry Policy. The next stage is Stakeholder Consultations. The Policy goal is 20% Value Added in the Automotive Industry in Uganda by 2030 up from the estimated 0.18% in 2019,” he stated.

Representatives from the newly created Jinja City , Mr.  Charles Nampendho the Senior Physical Planner and Mr. Ernest Nabihamba said that plans are underway to construct improve the road network to and from the plant. They commended KMC for producing the kayoola electric buses noting that sustainable mobility technologies was the way for public transport in cities and urban centers.  

 Lt. Col Wilbroad Muhwezi and Maj Eng. Geofrey Kayima who are overseeing the UPDF construction works at the plant said the UPDF engineering brigade was building the Kiira Vehicles facility “with the heart of ownership”, since it is a professional people’s army .