By Mulengera Reporters
At a recent Cabinet session in Entebbe State House, Vice President Jessica Alupo presided over a meeting during which proponents presented a proposal to avail hundreds of billions of shillings for the recapitalization of Uganda Airlines Company and the purchase of addition passenger planes.
The Finance Ministry, headed by Matia Kasaija who is a diehard supporter of CEO Jenniffer Bamuturaki because her dad was the best man at his wedding and generally believes she is a good manager, had already signaled readiness to find the money as a matter of priority.
After the details had been tendered and persuasive explanations rendered by the Airline company shareholders from the Ministries of Works and Finance, Alupo asked if any Cabinet member had reservations as to why this cash shouldn’t be promptly allocated to the Airline Company.
Because they hadn’t invested enough time looking into the matter critically, majority Ministers indicated it was okay-making it clear they didn’t have any objections to the proposed recapitalization.
Unexpectedly, the First Lady Janet Museveni, who sits in Cabinet in her capacity as education minister, signaled her objection. Speaking eloquently, she wondered why fellow Ministers were in a hurry to vote for the allocation of more money, in hundreds of billions, going into a company that already had so many accountability, corporate government and performance problems. She made it clear that, regardless of what the majority were saying, she wanted to be on record to have objected and sought clarification on certain things.
She suggested that Cabinet members first interest themselves in inquiring into what open intelligence sources were indicating had gone wrong at the Company before blindly voting to add so many billions. Her view was that media reports indicating problems at Uganda Airlines merited being looked into so that the real objective situation prevailing in the company is established so that recapitalization can deliver the desired outcomes.
The matter was tactfully stood over and what happened was for Uganda Airline supporters to buy time to ensure the matter is sneaked back onto the agenda on the day when the President is present. Indeed, that’s what happened and the big man from Rwakitura reluctantly said “okay’ if it’s Uganda Airlines, let’s give them another chance once more.” Jessica Alupo was in the chair that day too and the President had just come in briefly. Indeed, he moved out and the meeting carried on tackling other business on the day’s Cabinet paper.
But even when the Cabinet finally voted for the money, Janet Museveni, a very influential figure in this country, had unequivocally registered her well-merited reservations about the capabilities of Uganda Airlines top management leadership, which currently is headed by Jeniffer Bamuturaki as CEO.
And those who know the First Lady well, and her values too, left the Cabinet meeting room that day convinced and cheered up that she was still the one they knew-being a public official never prepared to accept putting up with mediocrity and floppiness on anything, regardless of who might get hurt. She is always determined to be there and stand tall in defense for and in service of the interests of the people, even when it means standing alone. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
