Kiira Motors, Partners Launch Cashless School Transport System

June 23, 2026 in Business, Companies, Technology & Telecoms, Transport by Editor

A partnership between Kiira Motors, MTN Uganda and fintechs is introducing smart wristbands for school transport payments, offering parents real-time visibility into student journeys while advancing Uganda’s push toward cashless mobility.

 

Uganda’s drive towards integrated digital mobility took another step forward on Monday with the launch of a cashless school transport solution that allows students to pay bus fares using smart wristbands while giving parents real-time visibility over their daily journeys.

The initiative, dubbed Cashless School Days, was launched at Kololo Secondary School through a partnership involving Kiira Motors Corporation’s public transport subsidiary EBus Xpress, MTN Uganda, HelloBooth by Sparklab and other technology partners.

The programme introduces wearable wristbands that enable students to board and disembark buses without handling cash. Parents can load transport funds through MTN Mobile Money and receive notifications confirming when their children begin and complete each trip.

Paul Isaac Musasizi, the founding Chief Executive Officer of Kiira Motors Corporation, described the initiative as an example of “how innovation can be deployed to address everyday challenges faced by families.”

According to Musasizi, the partners were united by a common objective of using technology to make student mobility safer, simpler and more connected while giving parents greater oversight of school transport.

The system allows parents to load transport fares through a mobile phone using flexible payment options that can be tailored to daily, weekly, monthly or termly transport requirements.

Students simply tap their wristbands when boarding and again when alighting from the bus, creating a digital record of each journey.

The launch reflects a growing convergence between Uganda’s mobility, fintech and digital services sectors as operators seek to move more transactions into cashless ecosystems.

To encourage adoption, participating students will receive a 50 percent fare subsidy during the introductory phase. A journey that would ordinarily cost UGX2,000 will cost UGX1,000.

Musasizi noted that the initiative extends digital payment habits already familiar to many parents who routinely use Mobile Money platforms to pay school fees and other household expenses.

By integrating payments with transport services, he said, the programme introduces greater convenience, transparency and control into daily family routines.

“Cashless School Days is a step forward in how we think about mobility for families. It is about safety, convenience and giving parents better control, while continuing to drive cashless adoption in everyday life.”

The school transport solution builds on MTN Uganda’s broader collaboration with EBus Xpress, through which commuters can already purchase bus tickets electronically using mobile phones.

Beyond the immediate convenience of cashless fare collection, the programme addresses growing concerns around student safety, cash handling and accountability in school transport operations.

Industry observers say such solutions could become increasingly important as Uganda’s urban population expands and schools, transport operators and parents seek more efficient ways to manage student mobility.

The initiative also aligns with broader national efforts to accelerate digital financial inclusion and promote smart mobility solutions capable of supporting Uganda’s rapidly growing urban centres.

For Kiira Motors, whose ambitions extend beyond vehicle manufacturing into integrated mobility services, the project offers a glimpse of how technology, payments and transport can be combined to create more connected transport ecosystems.