Uganda is set for a major shift in urban transport following the entry of StarTimes Uganda into the country’s electric mobility space, a move that could significantly alter how millions of people travel every day. The development was confirmed after a meeting between the Minister of Works and Transport, Gen. Katumba Wamala, and the leadership of StarTimes Uganda, marking the company’s expansion beyond media into sustainable transport solutions.

Under the initiative, StarTimes plans to invest about $300 million over the next five years to deploy roughly 300,000 electric motorcycles across the country. The project is aligned with government efforts to promote cleaner and more efficient transport systems and is expected to play a role in implementing Uganda’s National E-Mobility Strategy, which seeks to gradually electrify public transport. The electric motorcycles are projected to cut carbon emissions by more than 40 percent compared to conventional petrol-powered bikes, offering a cleaner alternative for the boda boda sector.

Health and environmental benefits are central to the proposal. According to projections linked to the initiative, reduced exhaust emissions could lower air-pollution-related deaths by up to 18 percent, especially in urban areas where motorcycles are a dominant mode of transport. With air pollution remaining a major public health concern in Uganda, the shift to electric motorcycles is expected to ease pressure on health facilities and improve overall air quality in cities such as Kampala.

The project is also expected to boost domestic electricity consumption by using between 28 and 33 percent of Uganda’s surplus power, helping to improve utilization of existing energy generation capacity. Officials say increased local demand for electricity could support the sustainability of the power sector while reducing reliance on imported fuel, which has long strained the country’s transport economy.

Despite the ambitious outlook, the announcement has triggered mixed reactions from the public and industry players. Questions have been raised about whether the electric motorcycles will be assembled locally or imported, and how the large-scale rollout might affect existing motorcycle manufacturers and assemblers. Available data shows that local producers have assembled only a few thousand electric motorcycles over the past five years, highlighting the scale of the challenge ahead.

Industry players argue that local capacity exists to support part of the rollout if supported by financing and policy incentives. Electric motorcycle brands already operating in Uganda say access to affordable credit for riders remains one of the biggest barriers to faster adoption, even as demand for cleaner and cheaper-to-run motorcycles continues to grow. Uganda is estimated to have between one million and 1.5 million motorcycles, making the sector a key target for electrification.

Concerns have also been raised about road safety, with critics warning that increasing the number of motorcycles on the road could worsen accident rates if not accompanied by stricter enforcement and improved infrastructure. Motorcycles account for a significant share of road crash injuries in Uganda, and some observers argue that investment should prioritize mass public transport systems such as buses. Others, however, note that electrification could reduce pollution even as broader transport reforms are debated.

As discussions continue, the StarTimes electric motorcycle initiative stands out as one of the largest proposed private investments in Uganda’s e-transport sector. If successfully implemented, it could reshape the boda boda industry, accelerate the country’s transition to clean energy transport, and position Uganda as a regional leader in electric mobility in East Africa.