Museveni Meeting With Former Ethiopian Airlines CEO Sparks Speculation Over Uganda Airlines CEO Job State House has dismissed claims of an appointment, saying President Museveni’s meeting with former Ethiopian Airlines boss Girma Wake was consultative, even as Andrew Mwenda quotes the President on plans to overhaul Uganda Airlines’ leadership and management.

President Museveni has held discussions with Girma Wake, the former Chief Executive Officer of Ethiopian Airlines, amid an ongoing search for a substantive Chief Executive Officer of Uganda Airlines following the exit of Jennifer Bamuturaki.

The meeting, which focused on aviation management and broader industry issues, sparked speculation on social media that Wake could have been appointed to lead Uganda’s national carrier.

However, State House has dismissed these claims, with Senior Press Secretary to the President, Sandor Walusimbi, saying that no appointment has been made.

“It is not true that the President has appointed anyone to the position of CEO of Uganda Airlines. The public is advised to disregard all social media messages claiming otherwise,” Mr Walusimbi said, explaining that President Museveni routinely engages with experienced global industry leaders to exchange ideas.

He noted that the meeting with Wake was purely consultative and centred on airline governance, operational efficiency, and strategic management.

Wake is a highly respected aviation executive who played a pivotal role in transforming Ethiopian Airlines into one of Africa’s most successful carriers.

He served as chief executive of the airline for seven years from 2004 and is widely credited with laying the groundwork for its evolution into a globally competitive carrier.

In an earlier interview with the Daily Monitor, Wake cautioned that government interference in the day-to-day operations of Uganda Airlines could undermine the success of the revived national carrier.

Speaking on the sidelines of the launch of the White Paper, The Great Enabler: Aerospace in Africa, in Toulouse, France, he said what the airline’s management requires is relevant manpower, adequate resourcing, and a proper regulatory and operational framework.

“I know the chief executive officer who has been appointed for Uganda Airlines is a good man. I believe if they really consciously do the right things, they can make it,” Wake said in the interview in reference to Ephraim Bagenda, who had been appointed interim chief executive officer.

However, he was later replaced by Cornwell Muleya, who has since also left the airline.

At the time, Wake noted that the right role for government was to provide sufficient capital, stop political interference, build capacity, and create the regulatory framework necessary for professional managers to do their work.

“If they do this, I think, they will succeed,” he said.

Despite his experience, at 82 years of age, Wake falls outside the eligibility criteria outlined by Uganda Airlines in a vacancy announcement advert on Tuesday.

The airline published an advertisement for the Chief Executive Officer position, indicating that applicants must not be above 60 years of age, among other requirements.

Uganda Airlines has emphasised that the recruitment process for the new CEO is ongoing and will be conducted in line with the airline’s established guidelines and corporate governance procedures.

Veteran journalist and political commentator Andrew Mwenda has since weighed in on the meeting, quoting President Museveni as saying that Wake would help guide a transition from what the President described as “corrupt and incompetent management” to a new leadership team at Uganda Airlines.

He added that the President urged stakeholders to move beyond quarrels and recriminations and focus on concrete solutions to rebuild the national carrier.