By Ben Musanje
Revered veteran Ugandan journalist and political commentator Andrew Mwenda has openly criticized the state of Uganda Airlines, describing it as a badly mismanaged national carrier heading toward a serious crisis if urgent action is not taken.
Speaking during a YouTube interview that was ably moderated by Counsel Terry Kahuma, Mwenda said he was deeply frustrated by what he described as continuous indecision and failure in leadership at the airline. He explained that Ugandans were once extremely happy and proud when Uganda Airlines was revived after decades of absence dating back to the Idi Amin era, but that joy has since turned into disappointment.
Mwenda stated that Uganda Airlines has been the subject of debate for a long time, and that the current situation shows an airline that is struggling to make even basic operational decisions. He made reference to a recent incident which saw security being called in to teargas and disperse disappointed Ugandan travelers who staged a rowdy protest at one of the big hotels in Entebbe after their scheduled flight failed to materialize. Mwenda said it’s only the Ugandan government under Jjaja Museveni that can ever tolerate such a thing without firing and criminally prosecuting the CEO.
Mwenda, who originally was a diehard supporter of CEO Jennifer Bamuturaki who hails from Toro sub region just like himself, also spoke about the Airline’s curious failure or refusal to remit money which they daily collect from each and every passenger they fly out of Entebbe International Airport. Uganda Airlines, like all the other operators in the UCAA-regulated space, is required to collect $50 (roughly Shs200,000) per passenger which they are mandated to pass on to UCAA the regulator which uses such money to maintain the aviation infrastructure and meet other regulatory requirements by ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization). The arrears have now accumulated to roughly $100m (which roughly translates to Shs360bn).
DANGER OF BEING GROUNDED
Mwenda warned that if nothing is done within the next three months, Uganda Airlines risks being grounded by the Civil Aviation Authority, which is already under ICAO pressure to assert it’s regulatory mandate and do something to remedy the situation. He explained that the authority would be forced either to give indirect subsidies, which violate international aviation competition rules, or to ground the airline altogether.
He further said that if the airline is not grounded locally, international regulators could block Ugandan aircrafts from flying into other countries’ airspaces on the account of being unsafe or even ban planes from landing in Uganda. According to him, this is because Uganda Airlines is not paying service providers, including those responsible for safety.
Mwenda, who sources say started becoming resentful towards Bamuturaki after some top Uganda Airlines officials privately spoke to President Museveni and said uncharitable things about his friend Gen MK, stressed that aviation is a highly risky and tightly regulated industry where even small mistakes can lead to catastrophic loss of life. He warned that ignoring safety and regulatory requirements could end in disaster.
FLIGHTS DELAYED FOR DAYS
Mwenda said that unlike normal airlines where delays last a few hours, Uganda Airlines flights are delayed for days and sometimes even a full week (he also spoke about pilots being summoned from their scheduled leave to come and fly, which is contrary to ICAO-accepted best industry practices). He explained that this failure to fly promptly as scheduled is largely because the airline operates only two long-haul aircraft, yet schedules them to fly multiple weekly routes to Dubai, London, Mumbai, Lagos, and Abuja.
Eloquent as always and speaking with his characteristic clarity of words, Mwenda broke down the flight hours and turnaround times, arguing that it is mathematically impossible for only two planes to handle such a heavy schedule. According to him, once one aircraft develops a problem, passengers are immediately stranded for several days, something he said has already been happening at Uganda Airlines.
He also spoke of extreme improvisation (of aircraft spare parts being cannibalized from one aircraft to sustain another) at Uganda Airlines yet the company annually receives support of Shs120bn from the government. He described Bamuturaki as a lady who is very good at using words deceptively in order to conceal the brewing crisis at the national airliner.
He also had no kind words for the Uganda Airlines Board whose members he described as powerless, inept and therefore incapable of effectively supervising a shrewd CEO like Bamuturaki, whose ability to use the tongue to patronize, cajole and convert foes he likened to Speaker Anita Among’s.
GROUNDED AIRCRAFT AND SPARE PARTS
Mwenda added that Uganda Airlines also has four Bombardier aircraft, but management has failed to organize spare parts properly. He claimed that one aircraft has been grounded and another stripped for parts to keep others flying, a situation he said he had never seen before and could as such only be tolerated by government in Museveni’s Uganda.
He dismissed as untruthful Bamuturaki’s claims that spare parts take years to arrive, explaining that when airlines buy new aircraft, manufacturers normally provide maintenance and spare-parts support, allowing parts to be delivered within weeks.
FAILURE OF LEADERSHIP AND OVERSIGHT
Mwenda criticized the airline’s board, saying it does not function. He also accused Parliament of failing to exercise proper oversight, the responsible Minister Gen Edward Katumba Wamala of failing to make decisions, and the President for being too detached from the crisis. He said that the veteran leader from Rwakitura is too busy overseeing several other things and has consequently not found reason to prioritize fixing the crisis at the national airliner. Mwenda referred to a meeting last year at State House where Museveni reportedly rebuked Bamuturaki and registered his loss of confidence in her.
He added that the Civil Aviation Authority should ideally ground the airline because it is owed tens of millions of dollars. He explained that some of this money comes from airport taxes and security fees paid by passengers, which Uganda Airlines collects but allegedly does not remit.
According to Mwenda, failure to remit such funds amounts to serious misconduct and exposes Uganda to international sanctions under ICAO aviation rules.
COMMUNICATION BREAKDOWN
Mwenda strongly criticized Uganda Airlines for failing to communicate with passengers, staff, and service providers. He questioned why passengers are allowed to travel to airports even when management knows planes won’t be taking off as scheduled.
He cited incidents where passengers were stranded for days without information, leading to anger and near riots at hotels, forcing police intervention by throwing teargas at them. Mwenda described this as very counterproductive for a business where customer care is key and where competition is high for the travelers’ dollar.
He also mentioned cases where pilots reported for duty only to be told at the airport that flights could not operate, despite management having advance knowledge of aircraft delays.
CEO QUESTIONED
Mwenda questioned how Jennifer Bamuturaki, the CEO of Uganda Airlines and a fellow Mutooro from the Kingdom of Tooro, has remained in her position despite what he described as widespread operational failure.
While sarcastically praising her intelligence, he accused her of removing experienced aviation professionals and leaving the airline without the technical expertise needed to function properly. He said that in many other countries, such failures would have resulted in immediate dismissal of the CEO who he wants to face legal consequences.
NOT JUST A YOUNG AIRLINE PROBLEM
Mwenda said that while young airlines naturally face challenges such as mistakes, inefficiencies, and early missteps, Uganda Airlines’ problems are far more serious. He argued that the crisis is rooted at the very top of management and affects the foundation of the airline itself.
Mwenda, who Mulengera News has established has a lot of dirt on Bamuturaki, concluded that Uganda Airlines is in a dangerous state and warned that unless urgent reforms are made within the next 90 days, the country risks losing its national carrier once again.
The discussion ended with a promise of a Part Two, in which Mwenda said he would present his legal and political views on what must urgently be done to save Uganda Airlines. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
