Uganda’s taxi industry is poised for a major transformation as leaders have announced plans to introduce electric vehicles (EVs) across the country, aiming to emulate the successful shift already underway in the boda boda sector.
The chairman of the union of taxi operators and drivers in Uganda, Hajji Rashid Ssekindi, told over 300 delegates from across the country that they have concluded a feasibility study and will be able to start the switch from fuel to electric taxis in November.
“We recently visited China to check what is available. We have come across an 18-seater taxi that we think is suitable for Uganda and affordable,” Ssekindi said at the meeting at Gaddafi Mosque Hall in Kampala.
He identified the electric vehicle as one manufactured by HIGER Bus Company, a prominent Chinese commercial vehicle manufacturer based in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province. The mini-bus belongs to the HIGER H5C / H6C series (often styled after the popular HiAce high-roof body architecture).
Ssekindi called on taxi leaders to educate their colleagues about the shift to electric vehicles in light of rising fuel costs, moves to green energy to cut pollution, and technological changes in engineering moving to EV.
“Our visit to China was to learn more about taxi technology, assess road systems, and determine whether electric taxis can work in Uganda. From what we observed, they can work, but the system needs some modifications to fit our local environment,” Ssekindi said.
Ssekindi, leader of the Uganda Taxi Operators Federation (UTOF), was joined at the briefing by leaders from the boda boda, bus and truck drivers’ unions of Uganda. One of the most high-profile changes in the transport sector in the past two years has seen the umbrella body of boda bodas in Uganda, led by Frank Mawejje, adopt the use of EVs through a partnership with Spiro, manufacturers of battery-powered electric motorcycles.
“I encourage other transport leaders to join this initiative. By embracing electric vehicles together, we can reduce fuel costs, protect our environment, and build a stronger transport industry for Uganda,” Mawejje said.
Like the Spiro bikes offered to members of the Union, taxis will be available on loan, said Ssekindi, calling on drivers to join SACCOs to enable them to purchase the EVs. He dismissed taxi factions that were sharing false news that they intend to ban and fully replace all taxis with EVs and buses, clarifying that the union is simply providing a less costly option, and taxi owners will make their own decision whether to change to EV after studying the overall costs and benefits.
The Bus union is eyeing next year’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) that Uganda hosts together with Kenya and Tanzania. “We went to China to secure buses that will support the AFCON, because we believe better transport is part of building a successful tournament,” remarked Umar Kakaire, Bus Union chairman.
The same message, Go Green, was also echoed by the Trucks Union chairman, Asadu, who noted, “We have secured buses and trucks from China, and very soon, they will be operating in Uganda. This is a great step forward for the transport industry, made possible through teamwork, unity, and strong leadership.”
The launch of the Alliance for Transporters Union builds on the proven success of the Boda Boda Union model, which has demonstrated that organising transport workers into a structured, technology-enabled ecosystem can deliver real economic value at scale.
