The Trans-African Electric Expedition received a high-profile welcome in the Kingdom of Eswatini over the weekend, transforming the event into a celebration of African engineering and technological partnership.
Key leaders from MTN Eswatini and MTN Uganda joined Eswatini government officials and business community members at the Happy Valley Hotel to salute the team piloting the Kayoola Electric Coach on its 13,000+ kilometer journey.
The presence of the electric coach, manufactured by Uganda’s Kiira Motors Corporation under the leadership of Paul Isaac Musasizi, was presented as a powerful symbol of the continent’s potential in the emerging green and digital economies.
Jerry J. Soko, CEO of MTN Eswatini, delivered a powerful message emphasising the critical role of African connectivity in enabling such ambitious technological feats. “I am honoured to join the Government of Eswatini in celebrating the ‘Made in Uganda’ Kayoola Electric Coach, a powerful symbol of African excellence in clean energy, innovation, and advanced manufacturing,” Soko stated.
He stressed that the Expedition serves as undeniable proof of the continent’s capability. “This expedition demonstrates that African innovation, powered by African connectivity, can drive our continent’s transition to a green and digital economy,” he stated.
MTN is the official Connectivity Partner and sponsor of the Expedition. The company’s extensive network serves as the digital backbone for the entire 13,000+ km journey from Uganda to the Cape. This connectivity ensures the Expedition team remains safe, traceable, and constantly connected to mission control, media, and family, reflecting MTN’s core commitment to enabling progress across the continent.
The welcome event garnered strong government endorsement, signalling the Kingdom of Eswatini’s readiness to adopt e-mobility solutions.
Tholani Mkhaliphi, Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, conveyed His Majesty King Mswati III’s strong support for Kiira Motors Corporation. He affirmed Eswatini’s readiness to embrace e-mobility as an integral part of its national development agenda. This alignment, he noted, confirms that the challenge of sustainable transport is now a shared priority across African nations.
Ibrahim Senyonga, General Manager of MTN Business Uganda, and Wandile Dlamini, MTN Business GM Eswatini, joined the gathering, reinforcing the bilateral commitment to supporting scalable, future-ready innovations for transport; a crucial sector for Eswatini’s economic advancement.
The Expedition, a joint effort by the Science, Technology and Innovation Secretariat of Uganda (STI-OP), Kiira Motors, and the Made In Uganda team, was hailed as a moment of great pride, demonstrating that through robust technological partnership, “Together, Africa is Unstoppable!”