A big step towards sustainable mobility was made on Thursday with the signing of an agreement between the Rwandan government and Vivo Energy that seeks to bring more than 200 electric buses throughout the nation.
Vivo Energy Rwanda will lead the purchase of electric buses and build a specialized charging and repair depot in cooperation with the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), the Ministry of Infrastructure, the City of Kigali, and the Rwanda Social Security Board (RSSB). This extended partnership is the result of a thorough feasibility assessment that Vivo Energy, the Ministry of Infrastructure, and the City of Kigali undertook on the city’s fleet of public buses’ electrification potential.
Clare Akamanzi, CEO of the Rwanda Development Board, praised Vivo Energy’s expanded commitment in Rwanda and expressed optimism about the partnership’s potential to effect positive change during the signing ceremony. She stressed the value of enhancing public transportation in the city of Kigali, which is experiencing rapid urbanization, and reaffirmed the government’s steadfast dedication to this transformative objective.
Vivo Energy’s Executive Vice President for East and Southern Africa, Hans Paulsen, emphasized the project’s critical role in preventing the effects of climate change while highlighting Rwanda’s ambitious green development aspirations. He expressed his joy at being able to assist the Rwandan government and its partners in advancing the city’s electric mobility ambitions and low-carbon goals.
Paulsen also praised Rwanda for creating an atmosphere that is welcoming to investments and thanked the hardworking teams who helped the country attain this milestone.
The Mayor of Kigali City, Pudence Rubingisa, vowed to devote himself wholeheartedly to the project’s accomplishment and emphasized how it may help resolve current public transportation issues. Rubingisa promised that all essential steps will be taken in the upcoming months to ensure the smooth delivery and introduction of the electric buses.
The Rwanda Social Security Board’s CEO, Regis Rugemanshuro, emphasized the partnership’s dedication to investing in electric buses as a way to improve public transportation while putting sustainability first. Together, they want to ensure that everyone can travel effectively and sustainably in the future.
Along with the deal, the Rwandan government recently announced changes to its tax laws that would take effect in the following fiscal year and exempt a number of products. Notably, buses that can accommodate more than 50 passengers and electric cars are among the goods that will be exempt from taxes, acting as incentives to promote a green economy.