Museveni Appoints Girma Wake Acting CEO of Uganda Airlines, Directs Bamuturaki to Step Aside Former Ethiopian Airlines chief executive Girma Wake is set to oversee Uganda Airlines on an interim basis after President Museveni directed Jennifer Bamuturaki to step aside, as the carrier confronts governance and financial pressure.

President Yoweri Museveni has directed that former Ethiopian Airlines Chief Executive Officer Girma Wake be appointed to lead a management transition at Uganda Airlines, amid ongoing efforts to stabilise the national carrier following the departure of CEO Jennifer Bamuturaki.

In a letter dated February 13, 2026, addressed to Works and Transport Minister Gen. Katumba Wamala, the President cited “current leadership and management weaknesses” at Uganda Airlines and instructed that Wake be brought on board as a Consultant/Advisor to help rectify operational and governance gaps. The letter further directs that Wake serve as Acting Chief Executive Officer until July 2026, pending the appointment of a substantive CEO.

“I hereby direct that you go ahead and appoint Mr. Girma Wake as a Consultant/Advisor… In addition, he is to serve as Acting CEO until we appoint a new CEO by July 2026,” the President wrote.

The directive also calls for Ms. Bamuturaki to step aside immediately and hand over to Wake and the Board of Uganda Airlines, with the Board instructed to organise any emoluments due to her.

Wake is widely respected in aviation circles for his role in transforming Ethiopian Airlines into one of Africa’s most competitive and profitable carriers. He previously served as CEO from 2004 and is credited with laying the groundwork for its global expansion strategy. In earlier public remarks, Wake cautioned that government interference in day-to-day airline operations could undermine performance, arguing that what national carriers require is professional management, adequate capitalisation, and a sound regulatory framework.

The leadership shake-up comes against a challenging financial backdrop. According to the Auditor General’s report for FY2024/25, Uganda National Airlines Company Limited recorded a net loss of UGX 230.816 billion, only marginally improved from the previous year’s UGX 231.584 billion.

Although revenue grew by 19.2 percent, the audit notes that returns from recent route expansions — including the London service — are yet to fully mature. The report also highlights rising trade payables of UGX 235.703 billion, unrecovered lease deposits, fuel procurement irregularities, and governance compliance gaps.