Electric Transport Gaining Ground In Nairobi Kenya

Public Transport Goes Electric: Kenya's Journey Towards Sustainable Mobility

@basigo

Local start-up BasiGo is leading the charge with electric buses now running under popular saccos such as Super Metro and Embassava.

“Every trip we make cuts emissions and lowers operating costs for drivers,” says BasiGo CEO Jit Bhattacharya. “Passengers love the smooth, quiet ride.”

Kenya Bus Service (KBS) recently added its first electric bus to the fleet. The operator plans to expand charging infrastructure at depots. This is a sign that e-buses are moving from pilot stage to mainstream.

The Rise of the Electric Boda

In the motorcycle taxi sector, change is visible on Nairobi’s streets. Uber Kenya has rolled out electric bodas through its “Electric Boda” option.

The company reports that trips surged by over 90% in the past year. Riders benefit from cheaper running costs.

“I save almost half of what I used to spend on fuel. The battery swap takes minutes, and I’m back on the road,” says Peter Mwangi, an Uber boda rider.

Climate Action in Motion

Transport contributes nearly 20% of Kenya’s greenhouse gas emissions. Under its updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), Kenya has pledged a 32% cut in emissions by 2030. The shift to electric mobility is a cornerstone of that pathway.

Energy expert Brian Nyangena of Verst Carbon puts it simply:

“Clean mobility is climate action you can see on the streets. Every electric bus or boda not only reduces emissions but also makes our cities healthier.”

The Road Ahead

Challenges remain—upfront costs, charging networks, and financing models.

However, with Kenya’s grid already powered by more than 80% renewables, the climate payoff from e-mobility is immediate and significant.

Kenya’s electric transport story is no longer just about pilots; it’s about scale. As more passengers, riders, and operators make the switch, the road to a low-carbon future looks promising.

“Transport accounts for nearly 40% of energy-related emissions in Kenya. Electric mobility isn’t just a trend—it’s a climate necessity,” says Dr. Joyce Msuya, a climate policy expert.

The Economic Benefits of Electric Mobility

Switching to electric transport is not just an environmental decision; it also makes economic sense.

Matatu operator Peter Kamau, who runs one of the Embassava Sacco electric buses, shares:

“Switching to an e-bus cut my fuel costs by nearly half. Passengers appreciate the quiet ride, and I know I’m contributing to cleaner air in the city.”

Motorcycle riders are also excited about this mode of mobility for its fuel efficiency, resulting in more profits.

“I save up to KSh 300 daily on fuel. For me, it’s not just business—it’s a chance to be part of climate solutions,” says Janet Achieng, an Uber boda rider.

The Role of Policy in Driving Change

Kenya’s updated NDCs commit to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 32% by 2030. Electric mobility provides a practical pathway, tackling urban pollution, reducing oil imports, and powering transport with Kenya’s renewable-rich grid.

E-buses. E-bodas. Clean power. Kenya is driving climate action.

“With over 90% of our electricity coming from renewables, e-mobility makes Kenya a global leader in sustainable transport,” says Energy Principal Secretary Alex Wachira.

Community Engagement and Awareness

To ensure the success of electric mobility, community engagement is crucial.

Awareness campaigns can help citizens understand the benefits of electric transport.

Workshops and informational sessions can demystify electric vehicles and encourage more people to consider them as viable options.

The Future of Electric Transport in Kenya

The wheels are in motion—literally and figuratively—for Kenya’s low-carbon future. Electric mobility is no longer a distant ambition; it’s on the road today, carrying passengers, riders, and the nation toward climate resilience.

In conclusion, the transition to electric transport in Kenya is not just about reducing emissions. It’s about creating a sustainable future for all.

Embracing electric mobility, is a significant steps toward a cleaner, healthier environment.

However electric transport uptake in Kenya remains limited by high vehicle costs, insufficient charging infrastructure, unreliable electricity supply, and low public awareness. ,

Only about 9,000 EVs registered nationwide, mostly electric motorcycles concentrated in urban areas.

These constraints, coupled with regulatory gaps and expensive battery maintenance, slow adoption despite growing interest and policy support.

Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

Communities Worldwide Draw the Line: Fossil Fuel Phase-Out and the Push for Renewables

From Belem to Nairobi, activists demand a fast and fair transition to renewable energy ahead of COP30.

By Moraa Nyangorora

Movements in 93 countries are uniting under the banner, Draw the Line to demand an end to fossil fuel expansion, pushing for a just transition.

A press release "Movements Worldwide Draw the Line Against Genocide,Injustice,Fossil Fuels, and Call for Rights,Jobs and Justice" (issued 15 September 2025), protestors are demanding " a feminist, fast, fair, funded and forever phase out of fossil fuels, investment in renewable energy, and resilient food systems"

Anne Jellema, Chief Executive of 350.org, put it bluntly:

“This mobilisation is about power, people power. The power to reject the lies of fossil fuel billionaires and remake our world for the many, not the few. We are drawing the line, because when governments fail to act, we rise”.

This unity by communities around the globe adds impetus to climate change efforts.

The timing is significant , as the U.S, one of the largest and leading historical emitters pulled back from international climate commitments.

People taking the lead under this movement, may just be the pressure needed to end fossil fuel.

Thousands of actions are planned across the globe including strikes, festivals, marches and cultural events.

The movement has people mobilised from across cities namely Johannesburg, New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Karachi,New York, Nairobi, Lahore, Paris, Berlin, Jakarta, Tokyo, Dhaka, Manila, Cotonou, Ottawa, Melbourne, Suva, London and Belem

For Global South leaders, the U.S disengagement deepens the urgency for reparations. Dr Arjun Kumar Karki of Rural Reconstruction Nepal reinforces this reality.

"We demand the full delivery of climate finance obligations of the global North for urgent climate action including Just Transition. This is crucial part of their reparations for historical and continuing harm to our people."

The movement are opposed to false technological fixes that powerful states are promoting in place of real commitments.

The rallying call from participating countries is urgent action to protect the planet . Taseneem Essop, the Executive Director described the climate situation a crisis that must be tackled to save the masses suffering from global effects of carbon emission.

"A global movement of movements is rising up to respond to the moment with the launch of this action. Youth, women, communities across our ravaged planet are drawing the line against those fighting to keep us locked in a world of pollution, exploitation, wars and injustice".

SOLUTIONS IN MOTION

Indigenous-led solar micro grids in the Amazon.

Wind cooperatives among fisherfolk in Asia.

Biogas innovations by African smallholder farmers.

"This is not just a protest, it is a global movement for liberation. We demand a system change rooted in justice led by the people and communities."

The statement by the movement read.

 “From Fossiles: The 4 Steps of a Just Transition”

Phase Out Fossil Fuels

Scale Up Renewables

Fund Climate Action

Create Green Jobs

Bark, Culture, and Climate: How Indigenous Knowledge in Buganda Weaves Art, Heritage, and Conservation

By N. Moraa Nyangorora

Artwork by Fred Mpanga painting on Tree Bark- A tradition of the Baganda Kingdom in Uganda

A tradition, older than colonial borders and modern factories, transforming nature into cloths that weave these beautiful artistic pieces, lives, and is vibrant in Uganda, Africa.

Long before weaving looms arrived, the Baganda were creating cloth.

The bark cloth making is a a deeply rooted tradition passed down lineages among the Ngonge clan in Buganda, whose hereditary craftsment known as Kaboggoza have preserved the skill for centuries.

Fred Mpanga an artist from the Buganda Kingdom In Uganda explains this tradition to a team of journalists who visited his gallery in Entebbe, Uganda

This is just not a cultural relic, but a powerful expression of indigenous knowledge, climate resilience and intergenerational heritage , all packaged in hued textile.

The amazing artwork, is a demonstration of cultural preservation that is relevant to modern life. The cloth from the tree bark is also used by women during their menstrual cycle, as blankets, clothes and other fabrics.

This art culturally referred to as Olubugo, from the inner bark of the Mutuba tree (Ficus natalensis), continues to date albeit in small scale.

They harvest the inner bark of the Mutuba tree during the wet season expanding it to pliable sheets.

Artist Mpanga explains the work that goes into turning the bark tree into a smooth canvas

Mpanga one of the Baganda sons is keeping this skill alive displaying his beautiful paintings with bark of this tree as his canvas.

This cultural practice highlights the magnificence of nature that contributes to the protection and preservation of the Mutuba tree.

This ensures raw materials are readily available enhancing sustainability of this tradition, promoting environmental conservation.

Mpanga says the tree is a gem that the community cherishes and conserves.

This tradition of using the bark cloth is recognised by UNESCO and is listed as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity (originally proclaimed in 2005).

Environmental and Climate Significance

In addition to its many properties, the Mutuba tree a cultural resource, is significant ecologically.

Farmers in Uganda retain it in their farms and to help protect soil fertility. Its leaves that drop on the ground improve moisture retention and stabilises the soil.

By Michaelwild at English Wikipedia & Purves, M, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=15066825

Its presence in agro forestry systems (Coffee and banana plants) helps crops better survive dry spells and promotes resilient farming.

Photo by Bruttos courtesy Pixabay

The tree is also instrumental in carbon sequestration as demonstrated in the "Energy Gardens" initiative. UNFCCC 

Under this project, households plant Ficus natalensis trees paired with energy-efficient cookstoves.

The trees provide shade, improve soil, and create biomass; as branches regrow, they supply sustainable firewood or fodder, reducing pressure on forests and lowering carbon emissions. UNFCCC

The traditional harvesting of bark for olubugo is done in a way that does not kill the tree. The outer bark is removed carefully, and the tree is wrapped or treated so it can heal and regenerate. mysite 

By Joyce Nanjobe Kawooya joycenanjobekawooya@gmail.com - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=64116783

This means a single Mutuba can yield bark for decades.

Interestingly, the bark cloth itself has been studied for antimicrobial properties: traditional bark cloth made from Ficus natalensis showed strong inhibitory effects against MRSA, a dangerous drug-resistant bacterium. PubMed

This suggests that the material has not only cultural and environmental value, but potential health applications too.

Threats, Climate Risks, and Cultural Conservation

Despite its importance, both the Mutuba tree and the craft of bark cloth face significant pressures that include deforestation and exploitation.

The Mutuba is threatened in some areas by charcoal burning, brick-making, and the harvesting of wood for firewood — all more immediately profitable than making cloth. Monitor

There is also the threat of loss of indigenous Knowledge.

Mpanga confirms that the current generation is not as interested in gaining this skill which he says requires passion and interest, some of the tools, mallets, and specialised skills have few inheritors. Horizon Documentation

Mpanga says he stumbled by this skill while on some part time work at the University of Makerere.

A Professor in fine Art Musoke Yusuf, who was then, entering retirement experimented with bark art.

Prior to this experiment of painting on the bark tree, only printing on the bark was carried out. Prof Musoke guided Mpanga how to handle the bark tree, what paints to use, and how to use them.

Among the five that Professor Musoke trained Mpanga is the only one who expressed interest. Even though he proceeded to college and studied other subjects, he took up the skill upon graduating.

"I have been painting for the last 23 years on tree bark canvas. This skill has been around from the 1300s. I use both powder water based paints (mixed with wood glue) and acrylics.

Fred Mpanga

While agroforestry helps, climate change still poses risks. Increased drought, erratic rain patterns, or tree diseases could stress Mutuba populations, reducing their capacity to regenerate bark and sustain local economies.

Yet, the very practice of cultivating Mutuba trees for bark cloth offers a climate-positive model: it encourages the planting of indigenous trees, supports soil health, reduces deforestation pressure, and keeps alive a craft that embodies local identity.