Kiira Motors, a Ugandan bus manufacturing firm, has a production capacity of 2500 vehicles per year, with a current output of 208 buses per month. The firm's Jinja-based plant has the potential to expand production to 10,000 units annually. This comes as a House committee has urged the Uganda Parliament to procure locally made buses from Kiira Motors for its oversight visits to create business for the factory.
The recommendation was made during a House sitting on Tuesday, 03 November 2026, chaired by Speaker Jacob Oboth. The Chairperson of the House Committee on Science, Technology and Innovation, Samuel Opio, emphasized the need for government institutions to support local innovations by becoming buyers. He cited the example of Kiira Motors, which has a persistent gap between developing technologies and getting them onto the market.
The committee's recommendation was backed by Kitgum Municipality MP, Denis Oneka Lit, who pointed to Kiira Motors' progress from Makerere University's early vehicle innovation to buses operating in Kampala. He noted that such innovations need a boost to grow the economy. Kiira Motors has received Shs 223 billion over 12 years but remains dependent on government funding.
Concerns about commercial sustainability extend to other initiatives, such as the Presidential Initiative on Banana Industrial Development, which has received Shs 311 billion over the past 20 years but generated Shs15.55 billion in revenue. The report also found that only five of 84 startups supported under the Uganda Industrial Research Institution (UIRI)'s business incubation programme successfully exited the Incubation phase.
Members of Parliament, including Boniface Okot and Emmanuel Banya, questioned the prolonged support for certain initiatives and proposed pausing new Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) projects until supervision improves. They also called for a competitive commercialization fund to support innovators, citing examples of successful inventions by Muni University students.
Shadow Minister for Science and Technology, Dr. Eunice Otuko, demanded measurable results from public expenditure, asking for patents and jobs created. Opposition Whip Paul Mwiru questioned restrictions preventing research institutions from commercializing their work, while Bugangaizi East MP, Onesimus Twinamasiko supported expanding the Kween sericulture initiative nationwide.
Responding for the STI minister, the Health Minister, Chris Baryomunsi, noted the need to take products from laboratories to the market. He emphasized that it is not enough for universities to take up initiatives and stop at that, but rather to go beyond that and take the project to the commercialization stage.
Key points
- Kiira Motors has a production capacity of 2500 vehicles per year, with a current output of 208 buses per month.
- The firm has received Shs 223 billion over 12 years but remains dependent on government funding.
- Members of Parliament have called for government support for local innovations, including procurement of locally made buses from Kiira Motors.
