Electric Taxis set to make debut in Kampala in November

What the report says

Leaders of Uganda’s taxi industry say they plan to introduce electric taxis in Kampala starting in November, according to The Independent Uganda. The initiative is being led by the Uganda Union of Taxi Operators and Drivers, whose chairman, Hajji Rashid Ssekindi, said the sector has completed a feasibility study and is preparing to begin the transition from fuel-powered vehicles to electric ones.

Ssekindi made the remarks at a meeting in Kampala’s Gaddafi Mosque Hall on Tuesday, where he addressed more than 300 delegates from across the country. He said union representatives recently traveled to China to review available models and assess whether electric taxis could suit Uganda’s roads and operating conditions. The group identified an 18-seater vehicle from HIGER Bus Company as a possible fit for local use.

The report says the proposed vehicles would cost about sh100 million each and would be brand new. Union officials argued that the shift reflects broader pressures facing the transport sector, including high fuel costs, growing interest in cleaner energy, and wider technological change in vehicle engineering. Ssekindi also urged taxi leaders to brief colleagues on the planned transition and noted that some adjustments would still be needed for the system to work in Uganda.