When veteran journalist Andrew Mwenda posted a video of weary passengers stranded at Entebbe International Airport, his words cut deeper than the images themselves. “The tragedy happening at Uganda Airlines is far beyond even my 2019 doomsday predictions,” he wrote on X. “One plane is stuck in Lagos, another in London, passengers stranded.” In Mwenda’s telling, the situation had become so dire that “even God cannot save this airline.” It was a brutal assessment, amplified by his stature and timing, and it landed at a moment when Uganda Airlines could least afford another blow to public confidence. Days earlier journalist…
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For over two years, Uganda’s Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) ignored major red flags from the Auditor General about irregular recruitment—an oversight that has now spiraled into a national scandal, culminating in a presidential order to sack 152 unqualified staff. The unraveling of this scandal began with the Auditor General’s financial year report ending June 2023, which revealed that the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) had recruited at least 136 staff on both permanent and contractual basis without following any competitive interviews or merit-based assessment procedures. These irregular appointments bypassed standard recruitment protocols, raising serious concerns about transparency, accountability, and adherence…
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In pictures, Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) had promised a grand plan and a blend of class for a VIP Lounge that truly speaks to the beauty that Uganda is. But what was delivered yesterday is a contrast and a broken promise. And for delivering what some have called low-budget work for billions of shillings, UCAA is facing pushback. On Friday, UCAA unveiled the newly refurbished Karibuni Lounge at Entebbe International Airport, but critics did not wait for the chairs to warm. A wave of comments was quick to describe the facility as “bland,” “tasteless,” and “unworthy” of the country’s…
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The Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA), under the leadership of Director General Fred Bamwesigye, is facing mounting financial and operational challenges, as revealed by the Auditor General’s report for the year ended December 2024. The audit highlights a combination of uncollected revenues, rising debt levels, procurement irregularities, and delays in critical projects—raising concerns over UCAA’s capacity to effectively manage Uganda’s aviation sector and fulfill its regulatory mandate. UGX 723 Billion Debt Raises Concerns Over Financial Sustainability According to the audit report, UCAA’s total debt reached UGX 723.63 billion as of June 2024, an increase from UGX 636.90 billion the previous…
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With passenger numbers exceeding pre-pandemic levels, record-breaking cargo volumes, ambitious infrastructure upgrades, and a growing network of regional and international connections, Uganda’s aviation industry is soaring to new heights, promising better prospects for key industries such as tourism and trade. Uganda’s aviation sector is undergoing a remarkable transformation, driven by steady post-COVID growth and strategic leadership from the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA). There are all indications that the sector has rebounded strongly from the disruptions caused by the pandemic, surpassing pre-pandemic levels in key performance metrics. Left-Right- UCAA Board Chairperson, Steven Kavuma_ Works and Transport Minister, Gen. Katumba Wamala_…
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The Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Director General, Fred Bamwesigye has oultined his priorities for a new second term where he intends to complete, “many unfinished and new tasks in the Aviation regulatory environment.” Mr Bamwesigye whose reappointment was approved by the CAA Board last week, shared some of the key priorities on his X social handle expounded on the tremendous growth of civil aviation in Uganda over the past few years, especially with the coming on board of Uganda Airlines, and the regulatory terrain which requires capacity building of staff. Top on the list of the Director General’s priorities…
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Uganda Civil Aviation Authority’s Bamwesigye gets second term of office as Director General Works and Transport Minister, Gen. Katumba Wamala, has appointed Mr. Fred K. Bamnwesigye for a second term as the Director General of the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA), the CEO East Africa Magazine, has reliably learnt. This is ahead of the expiry of his first term which expires at the end of September 2024. His first term started on 01st October 2021. The Uganda Civil Aviation Authority is the government body responsible for licensing, monitoring, and regulating civil aviation matters in the country. The body manages Entebbe…
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Uganda Airlines Airbus A330, yesterday, 7th October made a touchdown at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport on a maiden direct flight from its Entebbe International Airport Homebase. This is the first time in more than 50 years that India and Uganda will be connected by a non-stop air service. The route is Uganda Airlines’ second service outside the African continent and the 12th across its network and joins a rapidly expanding network that offers travellers convenient connections to South, West, Central and Eastern Africa. “The direct service will last approximately five and a half hours, bringing unmatched convenience to…
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Entebbe International Airport recorded 100,455 international passengers in October 2021 (45,799 arrivals and 54,656 departures), an average of 3,240 passengers per day. According to the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA), this is the biggest number of passengers recorded at the airport in a month since resumption of commercial passenger operations in October 2020. UCAA statistics show that the airport recorded 79,192 passengers in September (36,971 arrivals and 42,221 departures), 71,360 passengers in August (33,941 arrivals and 37,419 departures), 52,731 in July (23,594 arrivals and 29.137 departures), 69,346 in June (29,209 arrivals and 40,137 departures), 71,307 in May (35,012 arrivals and…
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