By Moses
Sserwanga
Uganda 's automotive flagship , Kiira Motors Corporation
(KMC) has completed the building of it's second Kayoola electric bus at the
UPDF's Luwero Industries in Nakasongola some 150 kilometers north of the
capital city Kampala.
This major milestone paves the way for Kiira Motors engineers
to carry out road drills for Uganda's second market validation electric bus as
the company readies to produce electric buses for commercial purposes for
the first time in its history .
Kiira Motors' second Kayola electric bus also known as the
Koyola EVS has similar specs and features like the first one the company
produced and unveiled on November 16 this year .
The second bus has also been built in
Nakasongola using green mobility technologies developed by engineers at Kiira
Motors with support from their technology partners Chinese ‘s leading
Original Equipment Manufacturer ,(OEP), CHTC Motor. Co. Ltd, KMC’s
Executive Chairman , Prof. Sandy Stevens Tickodri-Togboa ,told this publication
.
Dr. Elioda Tumwesigye , Uganda’s Minister of Science
Technology and Innovation, said that Kiira Motors has gained the
requisite capabilities and technological know how to produce as many electric
buses a month . “Government ministries, departments and agencies should
consider buying these buses from Kiira Motors because they have the capacity to
supply,” Dr. Tumwesigye stated.
According to , Eng. Richard Madanda , the Kayoola electric
buses can cover a distance of 300 kilometers under a single charge. They
have a speed governor that allows a maximum speed of 80 kilometers per hour but
can pick up to a speed of 140 Kilometers per hour .
Madanda said that a team of 20 personnel , 10 from Kiira
Motors and 10 from the Uganda People’s Defence Forces , (UPDF) Luwero
Industries Ltd , built the second bus in under two months .
Kiira Motors CEO,Mr. Paul Isaac Musasizi, earlier told this
publication that the company now has proven capacity to build and produce eight
buses a month at their temporary base at Luwero Industries in Nakasongola. KCM
is expected to produce an initial 5,000 vehicles per year when the Kiira
Vehicles Plant at the Jinja Industrial and Business Park is commissioned in
June 2021.
“We have four stationary assembly positions here. Once
the teams are fully aligned and there is no more learning, we could build four
units simultaneously,” Musasazi said adding that it would take the fully primed
teams only 14 days to build a bus.
“ We will source the vehicles components locally to ensure
the development of local content for the country’s nascent automotive industry
.We will get steel, plastics , chairs, bolts , batteries , steering wheel among
others sourced locally and import only that we don’t have ,” Musasizi stressed.
The Kayoola EVS buses have a capacity of 90 passengers (49
sitting and 41 standing) while the diesel engine ones will seat 65 passengers .
These buses will be built locally by KMC engineers using technologies
developed by the company and in partnership with the UPDF’s Luwero Industries
Limited led by Brig. Gen Octavius Butuuro. Luwero Industries
is a subsidiary of the National Enterprise Corporation (NEC) the business
arm of the army headed by the amiable Gen. James Mugira.
A number of lady engineers have participated in the
building of the second Kayoola electric bus and these include, Eng.Doreen
Orishaba, Eng.Pauline Korukundo, Eng.Vanessa Nakalanzi, Ms.Thatcher
Mpanga, Ms.Brenda Nagginda and Ms. Susan Najjulu .
Prof. Tickodri was full of praises for President Yoweri
Museveni who believed in the mission and has given Kiira Motors enormous
support over the years . “ Without General Yoweri Museveni’s support, Kiira
Motors wouldn’t be where we are right now –at the world stage to showcase
Uganda’s electric car production capabilities ,” he stated .
The writer is a media and communications consultant
and Advocate of the High Court of Uganda
msserwanga@gmail.com
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