Uganda Airlines CEO wins top Africa travel award

Jenifer Bamuturaki, the Chief Executive Officer of Uganda Airlines, has won the coveted Africa Travel and Tourism 100 Award recognising exceptional women in the travel and tourism sector.

Bamuturaki was nominated alongside 99 women in East and Southern Africa100 and emerged as the winner.

She was announced winner by the organiser of the event, Ikechi Uko, at the function held Eko Hotels and suites, Lagos in Nigeria.

She thanked the organisers for the recognition dedicated the award to Ugandan women who never give up pushing forward and striving against all odds.

“This is a win for women but above all, a win for Uganda Airlines,” Bamuturaki said.

She received the award in the presence of Stlison Muhwezi, the second Secretary in Charge of Trade and Investment at the Uganda Embassy in  Nigeria and Barbara Namugambe, the Under Secretary in the Ministry of Works and Transport.

The award is a vindication of Bamuturaki who has been under fire amid allegation of mismanagement at the national carrier.

Parliament’s Committee on State Authorities and State Enterprises (Cosase) in August discovered that Bamuturaki did not meet the minimum academic qualification for the job at the time of her appointment.

The committee chaired by the Nakawa West MP, Mr Joel Ssenyonyi, indicated that at the time of her appointment, Ms Bamuturaki only had a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Works and Social Administration and lacked a post graduate qualification, as it had been required.

Whereas Ms Bamuturaki possesses most of other qualifications raised in the copy of the advert, it was noted that she did not have a post graduate training in administration or any other business-related course.

She also has a 15-year  minimum experience which dwarfs the 10-year experience that was required of applicants.  Ms Bamuturaki, however, indicated that she is currently pursuing Master of Arts degree in Public Administration at Makerere University.