Museveni’s Uganda Airlines directive sparks governance debate

A fresh leadership shake-up at Uganda Airlines has triggered a wider debate in Parliament over governance, political oversight and the future direction of the country’s struggling national carrier.

At the centre of the controversy is a February 13 directive by President Yoweri Museveni instructing the Minister of Works and Transport, Gen Edward Katumba Wamala, to appoint veteran Ethiopian aviation executive Girma Wake as consultant, strategic adviser and acting chief executive officer of the airline.

In the same letter, the President ordered the airline’s former chief executive officer, Ms Jenifer Bamuturaki, to step aside from the board, citing weaknesses in the company’s management.

While the directive is framed as an attempt to stabilise the loss-making airline, it has reignited longstanding questions about whether political intervention in the airline’s leadership undermines corporate governance structures meant to guide state-owned enterprises.

Opposition lawmakers argue that the move risks weakening institutional accountability at a time when the airline is already under intense scrutiny over its finances and management.

Leader of Opposition Joel Ssenyonyi said the directive appears to bypass established procedures for recruiting executives in public enterprises.

“I investigated Uganda Airlines following the Auditor General’s report and raised concerns about governance and accountability,” Mr Ssenyonyi said.

“Now the President writes a letter directing who should take charge without a competitive recruitment process. We are doing the same thing again and expecting different results.”

According to Uganda’s Public Enterprises Reform and Divestiture Act and corporate governance frameworks for state-owned enterprises, boards are expected to lead recruitment of chief executives through transparent processes, usually with oversight from the relevant ministries.

Critics say bypassing those procedures could complicate lines of accountability.

“When someone is appointed directly by the Head of State, how will the board or minister hold that person accountable?” Mr Ssenyonyi asked.

“They can easily say, ‘You did not appoint me.’”

Yet some aviation professionals view the President’s intervention differently, arguing that the airline’s persistent financial losses may require extraordinary measures.

Veteran aviation consultant Francis Babu said bringing in an experienced international aviation leader could provide the technical expertise needed to restructure the airline.

“The appointment is good, especially since it is structured as a consultancy arrangement,” Mr Babu said.

However, he warned that leadership change alone will not solve the airline’s structural problems.

“If the aim is to reform the airline, then the restructuring should happen immediately. We should not wait months for change while the same management structures remain,” he added.

Mr Wake is widely respected in the aviation industry, having previously served as chief executive of Ethiopian Airlines during a period when the carrier expanded rapidly and became Africa’s most successful airline.

Supporters believe his experience could help Uganda Airlines rethink its operational strategy, route network and management systems.

But analysts say the debate surrounding his appointment reflects deeper concerns about the airline’s governance model and financial sustainability.

According to the latest report from the Office of the Auditor General, Uganda Airlines recorded a net loss of Shs238.16 billion in the 2024/2025 financial year.

The audit also flagged financial management irregularities, including aviation fuel payments totaling US$17.38 million made without a valid fuel supply contract.

Such findings have intensified parliamentary scrutiny over whether the airline’s oversight mechanisms are functioning effectively.

Hoima City West MP Mwesigwa Rukutana Isingoma said the focus should now shift toward rescuing the national carrier.

“This airline belongs to Ugandans. The real task now is how to fix it so it becomes viable,” he said.

However, some legislators argue that Uganda has yet to clearly define the airline’s long-term commercial objectives.

Kira Municipality MP Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda said the leadership debate should also address fundamental questions about the airline’s business model.

“We must first understand why we revived this airline,” he said.

“Was the country told how long it would take before the airline breaks even? What were the performance targets for management?”

Uganda revived the national carrier in 2019 after nearly two decades without a national airline, investing hundreds of millions of dollars in a new fleet that includes Airbus A330 and Bombardier CRJ aircraft.

The government argued that the airline would boost tourism, trade and regional connectivity as part of broader economic development plans under the National Development Plan III.

However, the carrier has struggled to achieve profitability amid high operating costs, limited route networks and strong competition from established regional airlines.

In 2022, Parliament’s Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE), then chaired by Mr Ssenyonyi, raised concerns about financial management and operational oversight at the airline.

Despite those findings, Ms Bamuturaki remained chief executive until the President’s latest directive.

The government has now set July 2026 as the deadline for appointing a substantive chief executive officer.

Whether Mr Wake’s interim leadership can stabilise the airline remains uncertain.

For many lawmakers, however, the bigger question extends beyond one appointment: whether Uganda Airlines can develop the governance discipline and commercial strategy needed to survive in one of the world’s most competitive industries.